The University of Nottingham celebrated the graduation of its 250,000th student on Friday 17 Jul 2015.
Victoria Rowley, 23, from Wickford in Essex, was awarded a first class LLB Hons Law with American Law on the final day of summer graduation. The first person in her family to attend university, Victoria has excelled during her degree course.
She was awarded a Distinction in American Law in recognition of her academic performance while studying for a year at the University of Connecticut.
Scholarship success
Victoria was also a recipient of the J C Smith Scholarship; an award that she says was “invaluable”: “It was particularly useful for my year abroad as it helped fund flights, travel and insurance. It also made a huge difference to me personally. In my second year I was undecided as to what direction I wanted to take, so I used some of the funds to travel to career events in London to help me explore my options and find the right route for me.”
She also plans to support The University’s scholarships scheme in the future to “give people the chance to make the most of the opportunities that university life offers”.
Why Nottingham?
Victoria chose to study at Nottingham because of its reputation, location and “beautiful University Park campus”. She said: “It was the perfect place for me and I’ve never looked back since the day I arrived.”
She chose a law degree as its opens up “so many different career paths” and is a “fascinating subject to get your teeth into”.
“The teaching is first rate at Nottingham and I knew coming here would stand me in good stead for my future career,” she explains.
Victoria would urge other students to take opportunities push you outside your comfort zone. “Be bold, try out new things and get involved in as much as you can. I did a Latin and Ballroom beginners course which was brilliant – I met lots of great new people and had loads of fun.”
Study abroad
Victoria describes her third year studying in America as a “highlight” of her degree.
Not only did she learn so much about the American legal system and style of learning, Victoria said: “It was a chance to meet new people and be independent, travelling around the country, immersing myself in American life. I’ve made friends and memories that I’ll treasure forever. I wouldn’t have had this amazing opportunity if I hadn’t come to Nottingham.”
In addition to her year abroad, Victoria also attended The University of Nottingham’s Malaysia campus for a two-week summer school, learning about business in Asia. She also travelled to Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi Island.
250,000th graduate
Victoria said she was “really honoured” to find out she was The University of Nottingham’s 250,000th graduate. “It’s great to be part of this amazing community of Nottingham alumni all around the world. I’m so proud to be representing the university that has given me so much and helped prepare me for an exciting new career.”
After completing a Legal Practice Course, Victoria will start a trainee position at Freshfields International Law Firm in London in February 2016.
Victoria received her degree certificate (along with 217 fellow law students), at a ceremony presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir David Greenaway at the East Midlands Conference Centre, University Park. The ceremony was watched by Victoria’s proud parents, Edward and Beverley Rowley.
Head of Alumni Relations at The University of Nottingham, Malvika Johal, said: “Having studied on three continents, Victoria exemplifies the experience of students at Britain’s Global University. We are delighted to welcome Victoria as the 250,000th graduate of the University to our alumni community.
“With alumni representing the University of Nottingham in over 200 countries, our students are able to tap into a wealth of expertise and knowledge wherever they are in the world. Our alumni are an asset to the University and we are proud to have such a broad reaching and connected community.”
The total of 250,000 graduates dates back to the days of University College Nottingham, which was founded in 1881. It includes graduates from the University’s campuses in China & Malaysia as well as the UK.
Approximately 7,000 students have graduated during University of Nottingham ceremonies held in the last two weeks.
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with campuses in China and Malaysia modelled on a headquarters that is among the most attractive in Britain’ (Times Good University Guide 2014). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and the winner of ‘Research Project of the Year’ at the THE Awards 2014. It is ranked in the world’s top one per cent of universities by the QS World University Rankings, and 8th in the UK by research power according to REF 2014.
The University of Nottingham in Malaysia (UNMC) is holding events throughout 2015 to celebrate 15 years as a pioneer of transnational education. Based in Semenyih, UNMC was established as the UK's first overseas campus in Malaysia and one of the first world-wide.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news…