Last year, the University honoured some of its alumni, notable individuals from the South West area and key figures who have made a significant contribution within their field and to society, nationally and internationally. Read our news story Ukraine ambassador and acclaimed novelist Bernardine Evaristo to be honoured by the University of Exeter.
Honorary graduates 2023
Professor Sir Steve Smith
Professor Sir Steve Smith is the UK Government International Education Champion, and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative to Saudi Arabia for Education. He was previously Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter from 2002-2020.
He holds a BSc, an MSc, and a PhD in International Relations from the University of Southampton.
Dame Melinda Simmons DCMG
Dame Melinda Simmons is currently the British Ambassador to Ukraine. She has been in this role since September 2019. She began her career in international sales and moved from there to work for an NGO specialising in conflict prevention and resolution in war torn countries.
Leslie McLoughlin FRGS FRHistS
Leslie McLoughlin first studied Arabic in 1960 at Durham University as an officer in the Royal Army Educational Corps. He then taught basic Arabic to military personnel in Aden where he met and married Christine. They moved to Lebanon in 1965 when he was appointed Director of Studies at M.E.C.A.S. THE Middle East Centre for Arab Studies.
Bernardine Evaristo OBE FRSL FRSA
Bernardine Evaristo won the Booker Prize 2019 with her eighth book, Girl, Woman, Other, the first black woman and black British person to win it. It was a #1 Sunday Times bestseller for five weeks, the first woman of colour to achieve this position in the paperback fiction chart, spending 44 weeks in the Top 10.
Reverend Prebendary Professor Georgina Radford
Georgina trained as a doctor at the Royal Free medical School, and has had a long history in public health at local, national and international levels. Prior to her current role, she was Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, which included advising and liaising with Ministers, key officials, professionals and the public on matters of health and wellbeing.
Melanie Eusebe MBE
Melanie Eusebe is a Director at Google leading Diversity and Inclusion across EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), and is widely known as a powerful advocate for equality and economic empowerment.
Dr Nicholas Tregenza
Nicholas Tregenza worked as a family doctor in Hayle in West Cornwall and also worked in his own time on local nature conservation issues and on wider issues that included organising observation of three commercial fisheries - gill-netting, pelagic trawling and tuna drift netting, and involving other European countries in these studies.
Lord David Puttnam CBE
Lord David Puttnam is Chair of Atticus Education, an online education company founded in 2012 that delivers audio-visual seminars to students around the world. A British film producer, educator and environmentalist, he was a member of the House of Lords for 24 years until his retirement in October 2021.
Amanda Pritchard
Amanda Pritchard is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NHS England, which leads the NHS’ work nationally to improve health and ensure high quality care for all. She is also accountable to Parliament for the NHS’ £150 billion of annual funding.
» Professor Sir Steve Smith
UK Government International Education Champion, was honoured in recognition of his outstanding contribution to education and international studies.
» Dame Melinda Simmons DCMG
The British Ambassador to Ukraine, was honoured in recognition of her outstanding contribution in the field of international relations, public/foreign policy, and security.
» Bernardine Evaristo OBE, FRSL, FRSA
2019 Booker Prize winning author, was honoured in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the field of literature.
» Reverend Prebendary Professor Georgina Radford
Former Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, was honoured for her contribution to the field of medicine.
» Dr Nicholas Tregenza
Conservationist, was honoured in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of ecology and conservation.
