| Honorary
Degree for Pollyanna
We are delighted to announce that The University of Derby have
conferred the honorary degree of master of the University on
Pollyanna during their 2008 graduation ceremonies.
Almost ten thousand people descended on the city of Derby to
participate in one of the most important events in the university
calendar - their annual awards ceremonies. Pollyanna attended
the Saturday morning ceremony held in the assembly rooms at
Derby, and donned a cap and gown to join the faculty and distinguished
guests onstage, including the Vice Chancellor of the University
Professor John Coyne and john bather the Lord Lieutenant of
Derbyshire. Professor Michael Gunn, Pro Vic Chancellor of the
University delivered a commendation outlining Pollyanna’s
achievements in her chosen field, finishing with the announcement
“In recognition of her remarkable achievements as a wildlife
artist par excellence and business woman, and for her sustained
charitable work to protect wildlife the University of Derby
academic board is delighted to confer the Honorary Degree of
master of the University upon Pollyanna Pickering”. Pollyanna
was then congratulated by the Pro Chancellor Dianne Jeffrey
who presented the honorary degree. Pollyanna then made a brief
speech thanking the university, and speaking briefly about some
of the highlights of her career.
Following the ceremony the university faculty, distinguished
guests and other honorands processed through Derby City Centre
accompanied by the Heage Brass band for a Thanksgiving Service
in Derby Cathedral, followed by a lunch hosted by the Mayor
of Derby in the Mayor’s Parlour - fabulously catered by
the University's own catering and hospitality students.
“It is wonderful to have had my work as an artist recognised
in this way” Pollyanna said “and I feel very honoured
– but also something of a fraud being rewarded for doing
something I love! I was very special for me to attend a graduation
ceremony – when I attended art college in London, art
was not recognised with a degree as the examining boards could
not agree a criteria to judge and mark the artwork, so although
I completed with distinction, I was awarded a national diploma
– within a couple years after I left the course gained
degree status!”
The evening before Pollyanna attended a dinner hosted by the
university, and enjoyed the opportunity of meeting some of her
fellow honorands including Sir Howard Newby who has bee Chief
Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council and Vice Chancellor
of three English Universities and Richard Brown the Chief Executive
of Eurostar. Also honoured by the University was rock legend
Roy Wood, founding member of bands The Move, Wizard and ELO.
Pollyanna is now entitled to use the letters HonMUniv after
her name.
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