Graduation and Celebration of Achievement Ceremony 2024
This year’s Graduation and Celebration of Achievement ceremony, held at the Perth Concert Hall on Thursday 3 October, saw over 300 graduates and award winners presented with their degrees, diplomas, certificates, and awards. ❤️
“Today is a special occasion where we celebrate your achievements and wish you well for the future, whatever it may hold. This day marks the end of a significant chapter in your life and prepares you for the exciting journey ahead.
“I hope you have enjoyed your experience with us and that your time here will be fondly remembered. I’m sure you’ll join me in expressing gratitude to the staff who have worked tirelessly to make your time here as fulfilling as possible. The friendships you’ve formed during your time here are invaluable, and many of them will last a lifetime.” – Dr Margaret Cook, UHI Perth Principal and Chief Executive
Our graduates and award winners had an amazing day!
Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal and Chancellor of University of the Highlands and Islands shared:
“As the Chancellor of the University of the Highlands and Islands, I congratulate all this year’s graduates on successfully completing your studies.
“Your graduation day represents the culmination of years of hard work, in some of the most testing of environments during a pandemic. In completing your studies, you have demonstrated resilience and a commitment to learning which will serve you well throughout your lives. You will also have experienced great personal growth.
“As you begin a new chapter of your life, it is important to remember you have the ability to make a valuable contribution to your community, to our nation and the world. We face many global challenges, but I believe that with knowledge, skills and determination, we can work together to create positive change.”
Catherine Etri, former UHI Perth Vice Principal, Academic - was award the Vice Chancellor’s Award
She was commended for making a significant contribution to the development of UHI and UHI Perth for over three decades, with a particular focus on excellent learning and teaching and continuous improvement of the student experience.
Catherine said: “I'm very honoured and humbled to have been nominated for this award from the University. It's a reflection of not just my work but also my wonderful colleagues who supported me on this journey. Their hard work and innovation has been the key to many of our collective successes over the years. Their courage to embrace challenges and their commitment to providing an excellent experience provides our learners with the confidence and skills leading to future success and attainment. The success of the institution is a testament to the power of collaboration, passion and perseverance.
“I'm very proud to have contributed a little to the positive impact we have on our community. I'd like to thank the UHI Principal and Vice Chancellor, Vicki Nairn for this award and wish you all continued success. My final message to our staff is to keep innovating and making a difference but most of all, keep inspiring your students to challenge themselves to reach their full potential and achieve their dreams!”
Holly Richardson was awarded the Scottish Qualifications Authority Local College Award for UHI Perth
An HNC Bioscience student, she was nominated by her Lecturer, Donna Cousins who explained: “Holly has been a dedicated science student at UHI Perth for the past three years. She began her academic journey by advancing from Level 5 Applied Science, through to HNC Bioscience.
“In addition to being diagnosed with autism, Holly has epilepsy, which led to frequent hospital visits. These episodes often left her with little to no memory of lectures, and chronic sleep deprivation exacerbated her constant fatigue.
“Despite sleep difficulties, Holly's determination to excel drove her to spend countless hours creating detailed revision tools, such as interactive PowerPoint presentations, and frequently revisited material she had forgotten. Holly generously shared these resources with her peers and offered individual support to help them with their revision.
“Midway through her HNC year, Holly was diagnosed with an eating disorder. Despite this, she remained committed to her Graded Unit project, approaching it with the dedication and precision of a seasoned researcher. Holly’s hard work paid off when she achieved an A grade in her HNC and secured a place at St. Andrews University to study Neurobiology. Recognising the need to prioritise her health, Holly made the difficult decision to defer her university enrolment by a year to recover.
“True to her resilient nature, Holly transformed her challenges into opportunities. She is currently developing an app for HNC Bioscience that includes notes and embedded resources for each unit, collaborating with lecturers to ensure the app is both current and accessible. Additionally, Holly has shared her revision materials to benefit both current and future students.
“Holly has also won two UHI Business awards. In 2021, she was awarded Best Student Business for developing a seizure detection device. In 2023, she received the Best Presentation award. Even without her significant health challenges, Holly would be recognised as an exceptional student. The fact that she has achieved so much while facing these challenges makes her an extraordinary individual.”
Holly added: “I am absolutely delighted and deeply honoured to receive this award, especially as I’ve faced serious challenges throughout this journey. I’m therefore very passionate about promoting mental health and reducing the stigma.
“I have learned the importance of perseverance, self-awareness, and, crucially, mental health. I encourage others to seek support when needed and to openly discuss the challenges they face in order for them to flourish in their journey, as support was a massive help for me.”
Erico Lo Presti was the 2024 University of the Highlands and Islands Student of the Year Award for UHI Perth
Erica - from Turin, Italy - started her journey at UHI Perth in September 2020 to pursue her Aircraft Engineering BEng (Hons). Upon the completion of her HND, she was awarded the UHI Perth Best Aircraft Engineering Student 2021-22 Award. During 2022, she completed a placement in Italy for an aviation company, working on a project where she was introduced to the basics of structural engineering and aircraft modification processes.
She has also enjoyed working at a Perth lighting company, joining their development team where new products are prototyped and tested. With her background in Aircraft Engineering, she has influenced different areas such as mechanical design, optical studies and electrical and thermal testing.
At UHI Perth, her final degree project was titled: “Adaptation of a PA28 cockpit for pilot affected by right-hand size hemiparesis: ergonomics and control accessibility.” She choose this topic because she believes in spreading the message that aviation can be made accessible. After analysing various medical data and studying aviation norms, she is currently prototyping and testing components that could make the cockpit more accessible, receiving a first-class honours award for her efforts.
Erica has previously been nominated as a finalist for the Herald Higer Education Awards and received runner-up in the category of ‘Outstanding contribution from a university student’. She also received the Norman Fraser Design Trust Scholarship and the Sidney Black Memorial Engineering Award supporting females in Engineering.
Erica added: “I am deeply honoured and grateful to be named Student of the Year. This award is a reflection of the support and encouragement I've received from my lecturers, classmates, and family throughout my academic journey. It has been a challenging yet rewarding experience, and I owe this achievement to everyone who believed in me and pushed me to do my best. I hope to carry forward the values and lessons I've learned during my time here as I step into the next chapter of my life. Thank you for this incredible recognition."
Gregor George was awarded UHI Perth Alumnus of the Year
Gregor graduated from his BA (Hons) Visual Communication and Design course during the height of the pandemic and was therefore unable to have a graduating showcase which is critical to creative practitioners. However, he continued to pursue his dream, successfully completing the Perth City Remembering Together Memorial Project, a nationwide collective project that funded co-creation projects with local communities and provided an opportunity for people to reflect upon the impact of the Covid pandemic. Gregor created a trail of 3D sculptures that are a combination of work created with young people across Perth City and provides a meaningful memorial that represents a collective memory.
Utilising his signature graffiti style, including a commission in The Wellness Garden on the UHI Perth campus, he has earned a reputation locally for working collaboratively with other practitioners and co-creating with local communities in producing artworks that provide a sense of place and belonging for the residents.
Alumnus Erica Lo Presti offered a Student Vote of Thanks
“It is an honour to stand here to give a note of thanks on behalf of all of us to everyone who helped us throughout this journey, and it is a privilege to represent the class of 2024.
“Higher Education is more than just a pursuit of knowledge. It brings together people from different backgrounds, each one with their own reason for embarking on this path. It can be to step towards a dream career, a chance to challenge their perspectives, or even redefine themselves.
“Today is not just a day of personal achievement, but also a moment to appreciate the support, encouragement and inspiration that we received at UHI Perth from the people that walked this journey with us. Together, we navigated highs and lows, and we created memories that will remain with us as we move forward.”
We streamed the full ceremony live on YouTube
We captured the whole day, to remember for years to come!
And finally…we wished you good luck for the future!
“We are incredibly proud of you and your accomplishments. Please keep in touch, as we will always be here to support your continued personal and professional growth, wherever your path may lead.
“Congratulations and best of luck for the future. I hope today is truly memorable for you.” – Dr Margaret Cook, UHI Perth Principal and Chief Executive
