English and Creative Writing students celebrated their graduation in style on 17 July 2018 at a ceremony held at the majestic Albert Halls.
Jeni Mills and Matthew Robinson both received First Class joint honours degrees in English and Creative Writing, while Maariyah Haddad (pictured below) won the 2018 English Essay Prize for her Children’s Literature essay on growth, religion and science in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Module leader, Dr Kim Edwards Keates said: Maariyah’s first class essay presented an illuminating reading of Alice’s Adventures that explored her navigation through wonderland in light of victorian debates about natural history. Wide ranging and thoroughly-well researched, maariyah offered new perspectives on Lewis Carroll’s children’s fantasy fiction.
"The course was challenging, exciting, hard work and extremely rewarding. [supported by] very enthusiastic and supportive staff [...] going to university is the best thing I have ever done."
Graduate Aidan Matear, speaking to The Bolton News
Natalie Randall (pictured left) also celebrated her English BA (Hons) graduate success, and plans to pursue a career in teaching.
Creative Writing boasted two graduates who received First Class BAs with honours, Shirley-Anne Kennedy and Aidan Matear.
Aidan’s story even featured in The Bolton News as his path to success has been traversed against the odds. Aidan has choreoathethoid cerebral palsy and his achievement is all the more impressive as he is confined to a wheelchair and has extremely limited movement in his upper limbs. He also had to take a year out of his course as he underwent major surgery.