Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton will be officially installed as Queen’s University Belfast’s first female Chancellor at a ceremony in the Whitla Hall today (Friday 24 September).
Secretary Clinton, the University’s 11th Chancellor, was appointed to the position in January 2020 for five years. During the ceremony 14 leading figures from the worlds of business, politics, sport, the arts, policing and education will be awarded honorary degrees.
Among those who will be honoured are Derry Girls writer and creator Lisa McGee, former PSNI Chief Constable Sir George Hamilton QPM and Ireland’s highest capped female athlete, international hockey player Shirley McCay.
Welcoming the former US Secretary of State, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University, Professor Ian Greer said: “Secretary Clinton is an internationally recognised public servant who has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to Northern Ireland. She has an enormous amount to offer the University and will continue to work as a key advocate for Queen’s on the international stage.”
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Speaking about her role in Queen’s, Secretary Clinton also added: “Queen’s makes an enormous impact on the world around us in terms of research and innovation, and I hope to inspire and encourage the students of Queen’s to make their contribution to society to the best of their ability.”
Queen’s awards honorary degrees to individuals who have achieved high distinction or given significant service in one or more fields of public or professional life and who serve as ambassadors for the University and Northern Ireland around the world.
Distinguished names on the list from the field of business include high-tech investor and entrepreneur Mark Dowds who co-founded tech hub Ormeau Baths; Fergal McCormack, Managing Director of accountancy firm PKF-FPM which employs 120 across Ireland; and Julie Sinnamon, former CEO of Enterprise Ireland.
Key figures from the political sphere who feature in the list are co-founders of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition Bronagh Hinds and Professor Monica McWilliams and fellow party members Jane Morrice and Pearl Sagar. All four will receive doctorates for services to the local community.
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Also being honoured are: Valerie M. Burke for distinction in science; Dr Jagdish Gandhi, founder of the City Montessori School; and former Principal and CEO of Belfast Metropolitan College Marie-Thérèse McGivern.
The University is making a special posthumous award to recognise the public service achievements of Norman Houston, Director of the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington for over 12 years, who passed away in January.
During the Ceremony, the University, with support from the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington, will announce an annual Norman Houston Study Northern Ireland Scholarship which will support a US student studying at Queen’s.
A full list of the Honorary Graduands can be found on Queen’s website.
The ceremony will be livestreamed and available to watch at: https://www.qub.ac.uk/home/chancellor-installation-ceremony.
Source: Written from press release.
