In eight ceremonies across three days we welcomed approximately 2,500 new graduates to our global Hull Alumni community between 16th-18th January 2023. Utilising a supply of special Hull Alumni Edition Chip Spice (a local Hull delicacy, for those who are unfamiliar) we tempted graduates to our stall to find out more about being a Hull graduate, how graduates support current students (and each other) and the life-time benefits available to all Hull Graduates (use of our on campus facilities, access to the career’s service and our regular Hull Alumni events and communications).

It was a great pleasure to meet so many new graduates and we are looking forward to finding out more about you, hearing from you as you progress in your career and in your life, and meeting you at future events. For now, though, we hope that you take the time to properly celebrate your success and enjoy the fruits of your hard work. We’re proud to welcome you to our Hull Alumni community!

As well as meeting our new graduates, we were also excited to meet our new Honorary Graduates, with Honorary Doctorates being awarded throughout the ceremonies. Below you can see a selection of the images from the three days and find out more about those who were honoured with Honorary Doctorates.

The full galleries of images are available to be seen at HullAlumniConnects.me >>

Dame Bernadette Kelly CB/DCB
Dame Bernadette Kelly became Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport in 2017. Bernadette studied English Language and Literature at Hull University, graduating in 1985. She joined the Civil Service in 1986 and has spent most of her career working on public policy in relation to business and the economy. During her career she has led work in government to reform the planning regime; establish the Competition and Markets Authority; reform corporate governance, including increasing the representation of women on boards; and on industrial strategy and local growth and devolution.

Fumbi Chima
With more than 25 years of leadership and technology experience in both the retail and financial sectors, Fumbi Chima currently serves as BECU’s executive vice president and chief technology and transformation officer (CTTO). As CTTO, Fumbi is responsible for leading the organization’s overall transformation; technology strategy, information security and IT operation for its 2600 employees as well as ensuring more than 1.28 million members have secure, seamless access to their accounts. Fumbi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and Philosophy from The University of Hull, UK.

Geoffrey Vos
Sir Geoffrey Vos was appointed Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice in England and Wales on 11 January 2021. In addition to being President of the Court of Appeal’s Civil Division, the Master of the Rolls is chair of both the Civil Justice Council and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee. His office’s historical responsibility for records of national importance continues today in his chairmanship of the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives and of the Forum on Historical Manuscripts and Academic Research. As a member of the LawtechUK Panel and as chairman of its UK Jurisdiction Taskforce, he contributes to the government-backed initiative supporting the technological transformation of the UK legal sector.

Professor Uduak Archibong
Uduak Archibong is the Pro Vice Chancellor [Equality, Diversity and Inclusion [EDI]], directs the Centre for Inclusion and Diversity and provides strategic oversight for EDI across the institution. She obtained a BSc (First Class) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1990, a PhD from Hull University in 1995 and became the first ever UK Professor of Diversity with a cross-disciplinary and institutional portfolio in 2004. She is a Fellow of the West African College of Nursing and a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing. She was listed in the New Year Honours list 2015 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to higher education and equality.

Adi Fawcett
Adi Fawcett has worked in the sports sector for the last 25 years, devising and implementing programmes at the participation and performance level across a number of sports in both the UK and Australia. She is currently working as Head of Sport at Special Olympics GB developing opportunities for people with a learning disability to enjoy all the benefits of sport and compete on the international stage at the Special Olympics World Games. Adi was an undergraduate of the University of Hull studying Sociology and Social Anthropology and went onto study at the University of Warwick graduating with an MA in Sport, Politics and Society.

Claire White
Claire White is the executive headteacher of the four maintained nursery schools in the East Riding. All schools are rated outstanding by Ofsted. Claire graduated from Hull University with a BSc Psychology starting her working life within the prison service. It was those experiences that shaped Claire’s move into teaching and early education. Recognising that, in order to truly educate and positively impact a child, there was often a need to empower families, improving life chances for all. Claire is an avid campaigner for high quality early years education regularly speaking at All Party Parliamentary Group on Maintained Nursery Schools. Claire’s philosophy of education is embedded within ‘The whole point of school is children come first and everything we do must reflect this single goal’. Claire has developed skilled senior leadship teams across the collaboration to ensure best practice is disseminated beyond her schools and within the wider Early Years sector, locally, nationally and internationally.

Liv Boeree
Liv Boeree is a science communicator and philanthropist from Kent. In 2014 she co-founded Raising for Effective Giving (REG), a research and advisory non-profit that uses the philosophies and strategies of Effective Altruism to guide donations towards the most globally impactful charities. She is also the UK’s most successful female poker player, winning both European Poker Tour and World Series of Poker championship titles during her career. Originally trained in astrophysics, she has been a long term advocate for STEM education, and today works as a speaker, TV presenter and content creator specializing in game theory, physics, decision-making and existential risk reduction.