Honorary awards
The degree of Doctor of the University (D.Univ) is awarded to people who have achieved distinction in the fields of learning, the arts, public life, community service and/or have made a distinctive contribution to Sheffield Hallam University, the city of Sheffield or the region.
Sheffield Hallam University has been awarding honorary doctorates since gaining status as a university in 1993; it has been awarding honorary fellowships, based on similar criteria, since 1969.
See below for this year's honorary doctorates or you can also view the archive of honorary awards.
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Emily Maitlis
Journalist and broadcaster
Outstanding contribution to journalism and broadcasting
Broadcaster Emily Maitlis was brought up in Sheffield and both her parents still live in the city. Despite having spent many years living abroad and in London, she still visits Sheffield and relished the opportunity to relive memories of concerts she attended at City Hall as a teenager. "When I come back to Sheffield it's like a flood of memories. A huge thank you to Sheffield Hallam for this honour, it means a great deal and I'd like to thank my parents here today, who have encouraged me to be intellectually brave, curious and unafraid to speak out." -
Bernard Hogan
Commissioner of the MetropolitanPolice Service
Outstanding contribution to policing
Bernard Hogan-Howe, Britain's top cop, spoke of his love for Sheffield at his graduation ceremony. Attercliffe born Bernard, who joined South Yorkshire Police aged 22, praised South Yorkshire roots. He said: "It's great to be back in the city where I spent nearly the first 40 years of my life. Sheffield gave me my values and principles. I'm honoured that the University felt I deserved this degree." -
Dianne Willcocks
Former Sheffield Hallam assistant principal
Outstanding contribution to academic leadership
Dianne Willcocks is a former Sheffield Hallam University assistant principal who oversaw the development of its acclaimed library and she praised her former employers as she collected her honorary degree. She said: "I was astonished to receive the letter from Sheffield Hallam and the honorary doctorate is a great pleasure and surprise. Coming here today was like coming home - I look forward to being part of Sheffield Hallam's extended community once more." -
Elliot Kennedy
Award-winning songwriter and record producer
standing contribution to the creative industries, music and music education
Ivor Novello Award-winning producer and songwriter Eliot Kennedy was given the doctorate for his contribution to the region's music industry, and for his outstanding work for charities, including his own One Song Foundation. Receiving his award, Eliot said: "I started as a tea-boy - I was working in the studio for free for a couple of years before I got to the point where I knew what I was doing in a recording studio and could do it professionally. I'm testament to the fact that if you work hard enough, good things come." -
Sir George Buckley
Former chair of 3M
Outstanding contribution to business and enterprise
Pitsmoor-born George Buckley, who ended his career at the helm of global giant 3M, the company behind Post-It Notes, got his spark of career inspiration on his first job – as an electrician helping build the University's Owen Building. He said: "I worked on the construction of the Owen Building when I was a boy and I'm back here now as part of that journey. Working on this building inspired me to go to college. I'm very pleased to be back in Sheffield to receive this wonderful award." -
James Newman
Chairman of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and former Sheffield Hallam governor
Outstanding contribution to business
James Newman, chairman of the Sheffield Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and former Master Cutler, received the honour from the University for his services to business and enterprise in Yorkshire and Humberside. On receiving his honorary award he said: "You need to work hard, have loyalty to your employer, maintain a good reputation and show good integrity. Sheffield Hallam has a lot of graduates here and they put a huge amount back in to the economy of Sheffield." -
Marina Lewycka
Novelist and former Sheffield Hallam lecturer
Outstanding contribution to literature
Marina Lewycka is best known for her first published novel A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, which became an overnight sensation in 2005 when she was 58. After decades of rejections from publishers, it was while she was lecturer at Sheffield Hallam that she completed a part-time MA in creative writing at the University, writing the book that would go onto to become her debut novel. She said: "This award is the culmination of quite a long life here at the University, of teaching, being with students, doing research, doing my own writing, and it's very nice to be recognised in this way. "I would tell graduating students to be bold, to take risks and to enjoy it. Graduation isn't the end of the story, it's just the beginning and success can come at any time in life." -
Mark Ridgeway
Managing director of Group Rhodes
Outstanding contribution to business, enterprise and charity
Managing director of engineering company Group Rhodes, Mark has lived in Wakefield all his life and is a key player in helping to drive economic recovery and growth in the region. For the last ten years Group Rhodes has worked closely with Sheffield Hallam on projects which have enabled students and graduates to develop their skills and expertise with senior engineers at the company. He said: "You've really got to work at developing your skills set, keep your activity rates high and remain agile. Things change in life, you've got to continue to work and make it relevant to your future career." -
Maurice Marks
Businessman
Outstanding contribution to business
A Sheffield born entrepreneur and business chief has been honoured for his outstanding commitment to business and learning. He has held senior roles with various multinational companies and is a non-executive director of OpinionPanel, a leading source of market information and research for UK universities. OpinionPanel, now known as YouthSight, works with thousands of school and university students. He said: "The best predictor of success in the future is success in the present. The graduates today have been successful in getting their first aim which is a degree from an outstanding university. Although times are going to be hard they've got an enormous advantage and all they need is hard work and good luck." -
Paul Deighton
Chief executive of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG)
Outstanding contribution to sport
Paul Deighton, the key man behind the organisation of the London 2012 Olympic Games, praised the University's work to develop a unique set of media modules, which saw students who took the modules get the opportunity to volunteer at the Games. He said: "The association I've had with Sheffield Hallam for the last three years has been very rewarding for me, and I hope for the University and its students too." -
Sarah Stevenson
World Taekwondo Champion
Outstanding contribution to sport
Sarah, who grew up in Bentley and was educated at Don Valley High School in Scawthorpe, said the honorary doctorate capped a remarkable year where she represented Team GB at London 2012 despite the loss of her parents and injury. She said: "I'm privileged to have been an athlete for the past 20 years and would like to thank the University for honouring me. Things like the MBE and the Olympic oath are just as important to me as an athletics medal round my neck. -
Richard Caborn
Richard Caborn Former Sheffield MP and minister for sport
Outstanding contribution to politics and sport
Richard Caborn was Minister for Sport under the Labour Government from 2001 to 2007, and played a crucial role in developing and presenting the successful proposal for London to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games back in 2005. He said: "It is a great honour and privilege to be awarded an honorary doctorate from the institution where I was educated over 40 years ago - an institution that has grown and developed to become one of the most successful and respected new universities in this country and abroad. -
George Shaw
Artist
Outstanding contribution to contemporary art
George Shaw is one of the UK's most high-profile artists, but Turner Prize-nominated George Shaw was characteristically modest as he collected an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University. On collecting his honorary doctorate George, who now lives in Devon, told graduating students to keep doing things that are worth doing and to not give up if success isn't immediate. He said: "I think in those first few years after graduating the important thing to do is to try and remain true to a vision that you had and that can be very, very hard. But, I think if you're prepared to put the work in the rewards are rich." -
David Baldwin
Restauranteur
Outstanding contribution to business
David Baldwin, owner of the Baldwin's Omega restaurant and banqueting venue, was awarded an honorary doctorate for his services to the restaurant industry and his extensive charity work, which has seen him raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for a variety of good causes. Addressing graduands, he said: "I love Sheffield. I love everything about it. I'm never surprised by how many students who come to our universities over the years and stay here. I hope a lot of you graduating today will do the same. I can't tell you how chuffed I am. As a Sheffield lad, I'm absolutely delighted to get this honour. It really does make failing the 11 plus pale into insignificance!" -
Daniel Evans
Artistic director of Sheffield Theatres
Outstanding contribution to theatre
The award-winning artistic director of Sheffield Theatres, Daniel Evans, has been recognised for his role as a champion of the arts in Sheffield. Receiving the honorary award, Daniel said: "I'm incredibly lucky that I get to run the best theatre complex in the country. I couldn't ask for a better job… I'm incredibly excited about the work that we do - and I continue to be. I'm also proud that our two organisations, Sheffield Hallam and Sheffield Theatres, collaborate throughout the year, particularly with events students take part in as part of their degree." -
Mark Aston
CEO of Sheffield Eagles RLFC
Outstanding contribution to the development of sport
Local rugby league legend Mark Aston received an honorary doctorate from the University that his Sheffield Eagles team works so closely with. Mark paid tribute to the "massive relationship" between Sheffield Hallam and the Eagles, which has seen eight of its junior players accepted onto the University's courses this year (2012). Offering advice to graduates embarking on their careers, Mark said: "Hard work, determination, commitment is the way forward. And I think a lot of the people graduating today will have done that over the last three years. Don't leave any stone unturned and be the best you can be."
