Stars swap studio for stage at St Andrews graduation ceremonies

A Fife-based former Royal Marine seriously injured in action in Afghanistan who went on to become a TV sports presenter is just one of several outstanding individuals due to be recognised for their contribution to wider society, sports, science, history and the arts at the University of St Andrews next month (December 2024).

Strictly Come Dancing star JJ Chalmers will join veteran sports presenter and recent BAFTA Scotland award-winner Hazel Irvine, former Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland, Professor Dame Anne Glover, and one of the UK’s foremost theorists of race and racism, Professor Paul Gilroy, in being awarded Honorary degrees at winter graduation ceremonies on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 December 2024.

They will be joined by St Andrews archivist and historian Rachel Hart who will be awarded the University Medal, and around 1000 Class of 2024 students from across the globe celebrating being awarded both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Graduates from 74 different countries, including Scotland, South Africa and Hong Kong, to name just a few, will receive their academic awards in the Younger Hall on Tuesday 3 December and Wednesday 4 December 2024.

The winter graduation ceremony season will see five distinguished individuals honoured for their contributions to science, broadcasting, sociology and culture, as well as music, history and art.

Those being honoured by the University of St Andrews in the first week of December are:

• Tuesday 3 December  10.30am – Professor Dame Anne Glover Doctor of Science (DSc)
• Tuesday 3 December 2pm – Professor Paul Gilroy Doctor of Letters and Rachel Hart University Medal
• Wednesday 4 December 10.30am – JJ Chalmers Doctor of Laws (LLD)
• Wednesday 4 December 2pm – Hazel Irvine Doctor of Laws (LLD)

For more information on graduation ceremonies and Honorary graduates visit the University graduation webpages.