Inspirational honorary graduates celebrated at summer graduation

Former Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström, SPFL Trust CEO Nicky Reid, dedicated volunteer Lynda Morrison and events supremo Paul Bush OBE will receive honorary degrees at next week’s University of Stirling summer graduation.

Margot, a Swedish parliamentarian who pioneered the world’s first feminist foreign policy and is a passionate advocate for the environment, will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate on Wednesday in recognition of her outstanding contribution to protecting the environment and championing women’s rights.

The same day, Lynda Morrison, who has volunteered 20 years of her life to helping shape the delivery of social work and nursing education through the University of Stirling’s Service User and Carer Group (UNITY), will receive an honorary Master of Arts degree.

She will be recognised for her long and meritorious voluntary service to social work and social work education, and to improving the lives of service users nationally and internationally.

On Thursday, Paul Bush OBE, the former Director of Events for VisitScotland who played a vital role in bringing major spectacles including the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and UEFA Euro 2020 to Scotland, will receive an Honorary Doctorate. He will be recognised for his outstanding contribution to sport and to the events industry in the country.

Paul will be joined by Nicky Reid, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) Trust, who will also be made a Doctor of the University for her outstanding contribution to charity and exceptional leadership qualities.

Professor Sir Gerry McCormac, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Stirling, said: “Summer graduation is always a special highlight in the university calendar, and we are delighted that those celebrating next week will be joined by four inspiring role models.

“Each of our honorary graduands has made a lasting impact in their fields, contributing in powerful and enduring ways to society. We are proud to recognise their achievements and know that they will be outstanding ambassadors for the University.”

Lynda Morrison

Lynda Morrison has been recognised for two decades of voluntary work

Lynda is a former mental health nurse and a founding member of the University of Stirling Service User and Carer Group (UNITY), through which she has selflessly supported the next generation of social workers and nurses to better understand people’s experiences of mental health and support services across two decades.

Lynda has drawn on her experience of providing health services, as well as on her own lived experience of mental ill health, and as a user of social work and, more recently, older people’s services.

The UNITY group, which Lynda was instrumental in setting up in 2005, has attracted national and international recognition for being one of the first to involve service users and carers in the design, development, and delivery of teaching to social work and nursing students.

Margot Wallström

Former Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström

Margot, a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party and passionate women’s rights advocate, first entered the Swedish Parliament in 1979 and served in several ministerial posts, including Minister for Foreign Affairs and acting Deputy Prime Minister.

In 2014, she made history as the world’s first foreign minister to adopt a feminist foreign policy.

Across her illustrious political career, Margot has held a number of senior roles including serving as the first ever Vice President of the European Commission, the first United Nations Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, and Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders Ministerial Initiative.

Margot has actively championed the participation of women in peace and security-related issues – most notably the injustice and violence faced by women during armed conflict – and is recognised for her work on sustainable development and climate change.

Paul Bush OBE

Paul Bush has been an influential figure in bringing major events to Scotland

Paul was VisitScotland’s Director of Events for 20 years and played an instrumental role in attracting some of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles to the country – including the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup and most recently leading the successful UK bid to host the Grand Depart of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes 2027.

He is a previous Chief Executive of Scottish Swimming and, while in that role, worked closely with the University of Stirling in developing the state-of-the-art National Swimming Academy.

Alongside the facility, he built a professional coaching and performance management structure for the sport which led to significant and continuing international success.

He has been heavily involved in the Commonwealth Games movement in Scotland, serving as General Team Manager at Manchester 2002 and Chef de Mission at Melbourne 2006, where the Scottish team won 29 medals. Significantly, Paul also played a key role in Glasgow’s successful bid to host the Games in 2014.

Nicky Reid

Nicky Reid is CEO of the SPFL Trust.

Nicky achieved a Film, Media and Sociology degree from the University of Stirling in 2007 and went on to hold the position of Learning Centre Manager at Falkirk Football Club.

She joined the SPFL Trust in 2012, becoming General Manager in 2015. When she was appointed CEO in 2017, she became the first female CEO at national level in Scottish football.

Through her leading role with the Trust, Nicky – a respected leader in both the third sector and sport – has been instrumental in supporting people to live healthier, happier and longer lives through football. She is a member of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party working group on football and was previously part of the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group.

In total, 2,157 students will graduate from the University of Stirling next week. Four ceremonies will be held across two days (25 – 26 June) as students celebrate their academic achievements alongside their families, friends and University staff.