Leading figures from science, sport and journalism join St Andrews’ summer graduation celebrations

Thursday 18 May 2023

CALLING NOTICE: University of St Andrews Graduation ceremonies Monday 12 June to Friday 16 June 2023

An internationally acclaimed astronomer who grew up in Fife, a leading cancer scientist, a legendary golfer who designed one of St Andrews’ championship golf courses, and an award-winning journalist and broadcaster will join more than 2000 students from across the world at the University of St Andrews graduation celebrations in June.

Graduates from almost 90 different countries, including Scotland, Ukraine, Switzerland, Poland and the USA, to name just a few, will receive their academic awards in the Younger Hall from Monday 12 June to Friday 16 June 2023.

The summer graduation ceremony season will see nine distinguished individuals from the worlds of science, sport, music, economics, and literature honoured alongside 73 returning students from the Class of 2020 and 2021 who missed in-person ceremonies due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Former Chair of NASA’s Space Science Advisory Committee and Kirkcaldy High School alumna, Professor Anneila Sargent, and the Director of the Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics, Professor Simon Tavaré, will be honoured alongside golfing great Sam Torrance, formidable and versatile TV journalist Kirsty Wark, world-respected Cuban-American economist Professor Carmen Reinhart, Folklorist and ethnologist Professor Margaret Bennett, anthropologist Professor Michael Herzfeld, Earth Institute Director Professor Alexander Halliday, and Glasgow-based teacher and author Ronald Renton.

Academic awards will be conferred on students and Honorary Graduates in the Younger Hall in St Andrews. Photo calls with each Honorary Graduate will be held immediately after their ceremony in St Salvator’s Quadrangle, North Street, St Andrews.

There will be limited time for brief interviews with Honorary Graduates at each photo call.

Pictured (clockwise from top left): Margaret Bennett (© Duncan McNab), Sam Torrance, Michael Herzfeld (© Wankun Ser), Simon Tavare, Anneila Sargent, Ronald Renton, Alex Halliday, Carmen Reinhart and Kirsty Wark

The full list of recipients of Honorary Degrees is as follows:

Graduation week: Monday 12 June – Friday 16 June

Monday 12 June 2pm – Professor Anneila Sargent BSc PhD DSc FRSE

Tuesday 13 June 2pm – Professor Michael Herzfeld DPhil DLitt

Wednesday 14 June 10.30am – Professor Simon Tavaré BSc Mc PhD FMedSci FRSE

Wednesday 14 June 2pm – Sam Torrance, golfer and broadcaster

Thursday 15 June 10.30am – Professor Carmen Reinhart, economist

Thursday 15 June 2pm – Professor Margaret Bennett BA(Ed) MA PhD DMus (Hon) HRSA, Folklorist and ethnologist, singer, writer and broadcaster

Friday 16 June 9.30am – Kirsty Wark, journalist and Professor Alexander Halliday FRS, geochemist

Friday 16 June 2pm – Ronald Renton, teacher and author

For more information on graduation ceremonies and Honorary Graduates visit the University’s Graduation web pages.


Issued by the University of St Andrews Communications Office.

Category Student experience

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