Notable Alumni

Ayo Akinwolere

BA (Hons) in Media Studies, 2004 - Since graduating in 2004, Ayo Akinwolere has become a BAFTA-nominated TV presenter. After getting his start on Blue Peter, he has presented for the BBC, Channel 4 and CBS among others. He has also set a world record for open-water swimming as well as founding his own media company.

Marc Allera

BA in International Business, 1995 - Marc Allera has been a transformative figure in UK telecoms. After a decade as CCO of Three UK, he became CEO at BT Group, leading its Consumer Division and EE. He oversaw EE’s UK-first 5G launch and the "New EE" platform. In 2025, he became Chair of Jagex, creators of RuneScape, among other games.

Dr Emma Camp

MSc in Environmental Management for Business, 2011 - Dr Emma Camp, an acclaimed expert in coral reef protection, earned her MSc from Sheffield Hallam and now leads the Future Reefs Program at the University of Technology Sydney. She is also a passionate advocate for encouraging girls and women in STEM fields.

Jarvis Cocker

Access course - A key player in the Britpop scene, Jarvis Cocker has found success as the founder, frontman, lyricist and only consistent member of the band Pulp, which was discovered by John Peel at Sheffield City Polytechnic! Jarvis has also pursued a solo music career and worked as an actor, broadcaster, and writer.

Chief Constable Lucy D'Orsi CVO QPM

BA in Urban Studies, 1991 - After joining the Metropolitan Police Service in 1992, Lucy D’Orsi became chief constable of the British Transport Police in 2021. In the same year, she was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal, and then in 2023, she was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

Mark Herbert (Warp Films)

BA in Film Studies, 1994 - Mark Herbert is joint CEO of Warp Films, an independent film and TV production company, whose notable works include This is England, Four Lions, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Netflix’s Adolescence. Mark has received multiple awards, including four BAFTAs and a London Film Festival award.

Cherie Jones

MA in Writing, 2015 - After completing her postgraduate degree in Writing with us, Cherie published her debut novel, How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House. The book has received global acclaim, including being selected for Good Morning America’s monthly book club. It was also shortlisted for the 2021 Women’s Fiction Prize.

Rosalind Nashashibi

BA (Hons) in Fine Art, 1995 - Rosalind Nashashibi is a globally exhibited painter and filmmaker. She was the first woman to win the Beck’s Futures prize and was nominated for the 2017 Turner Prize and the 2024 Film London Jarman Award. In 2020, she was the National Gallery's first artist in residence and became an artist trustee of Tate in 2022.

Bruce Oldfield OBE

Attending Sheffield City College of Education in the 1960s, Bruce Oldfield began his own fashion label in 1975 and has gone on to achieve a truly prolific career as a couture fashion designer. His clientele includes Queen Camilla, Kim Kardashian and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Nick Park CBE RDI

BA in Fine Art, 1980 - Nick Park is an animator and filmmaker. Since joining Aardman Animations in 1985, he has become known for Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep and more. Nick has earned many accolades over the course of his career, including seven BAFTAs and four Academy Awards.

Uriah Rennie (1959 - 2025)

MBA in Business Administration, 1997 - Less than two months after graduating, Uriah Rennie became the first black referee in the Premier League, officiating over 300 FA and FIFA matches. He also campaigned on issues including community deprivation, mental health and equality and inclusion in sport. In 2025, he became Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University.

Lucy Robinson

BA (Hons) QTS in Primary Education (5-11), 2020 - Paralympian Lucy Robinson undertook her first overseas training camp for the GB Paralympics team while studying at Sheffield Hallam. Since graduating, she has gone on to compete in the women’s wheelchair basketball team in both the 2020 and 2024 Summer Paralympics.