Graduation 2025: MDX celebrates outstanding achievements in fashion, disability, health and education

Recipients recognised with honorary degrees for contributions that exemplify University’s values and vision

Middlesex University is celebrating exceptional individuals who have made a lasting impact to their profession and a difference to society during this week’s Graduation ceremonies.

Honorary degrees are being awarded to eight people for achievements in a wide range of areas and disciplines that include fashion, sporting success, disability awareness, patient advocacy, diversity and inclusion in literature, law, business, educational accessibility and advancement, and mental health in the workplace.

The University’s Graduation ceremonies celebrate the success, hard work and resilience of MDX students, and almost 14,000 students (including some 2,700 partner students who studied elsewhere and had their degrees validated by MDX) were invited to attend at the Hendon campus. 

Graduation is also an opportunity for the University to recognise and say thank you to former students, staff, community workers, and leaders in their profession who have made a difference to their field and to society in a way that aligns with the University’s commitment to educational opportunity, inclusivity, social impact, and innovation.

Commenting on the Awards, Middlesex University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Shân Wareing said: “We’re delighted that these distinguished individuals have accepted Middlesex University’s recognition of their wonderful contributions in their respective fields and communities across the creative arts, law and business, disability awareness, diversity and inclusion, patient advocacy, mental health, education, charity work and more."

“It gives me great pleasure to hear their inspiring stories, to welcome them to our Middlesex community during our graduation ceremonies, and to be able to honour and thank them for their exceptional achievements.”

Middlesex University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Shân Wareing

From the world of fashion, honorary degrees are being awarded to Middlesex University alumni Martine Rose, a menswear designer who has received international acclaim, and Roxy Murray, a fashion stylist and tireless advocate for disability rights including for people with multiple sclerosis. Also a powerful advocate for patients and the disabled, especially people with hearing loss, is Stella O’ Brien who is a pioneering researcher in digital technology and a respected contributor to health and social care research.

Roxy, a Middlesex graduate who described the University as having a ‘pivotal role’ in shaping who she is today, said: “As someone living boldly with Multiple Sclerosis, championing disability rights, adaptive fashion, and radical inclusivity, receiving an honorary degree is a powerful affirmation that lived experience, creative advocacy, and unapologetic authenticity are not just valid but worthy of celebration.”

Montell Douglas, a Middlesex University alumna, is a record-breaking athlete and advocate for inclusion in sport, whose multifaceted career has spanned elite athletics, public service, coaching, and motivational speaking. Outside of competing, she has appeared as "Fire" in the 2024 BBC One reboot of Gladiators, and was a contestant on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Businessman and former Army officer Tim Boughton, meanwhile, is being honoured as a passionate advocate for mental health reform and for his internationally-recognised work with veterans and emergency service personnel living with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Tim, who first went to university in his 50s, has taken an interest in Middlesex since delivering a Distinguished Lecture at the University and welcomed how health and wellbeing formed a key role in its strategic vision. His advice to current students was to embrace failure as well as success to become resilient. “Make your own way, rely on your instincts and remember that you are not above anyone else – you will be graded on that in life,” he said.

A respected figure in global finance, business leader Sindi Mabaso-Koyana is recognised for transforming the landscape of accountancy in her home country of South Africa and opening the doors for generations of black women professionals, while revered British author, literary consultant, and cultural historian Sandra A Agard has been a lifelong champion of Black British literature, African-Caribbean oral traditions, and inclusive education.

A globally respected leader in education with experience from senior positions in higher education across three continents, Sue Cunningham is recognised for her lifelong commitment to educational advancement to transform lives and society. Lastly, Professor David Sugarman is a distinguished legal scholar and educator who has played a significant role in the development of legal education and was centrally involved in establishing Middlesex University’s School of Law, helping to shape its identity and academic vision.

The University also celebrated the start of Graduation Week by welcoming to its campus headteachers and college principals from across Barnet. Together they will celebrate the contribution that local schools make towards preparing students for university, as well as the launch of Middlesex’s Lifelong Learning pathway, a new initiative which guarantees places and interviews to university applicants from the Borough of Barnet.

Local educators will also have the chance to meet Middlesex alumna and internationally acclaimed fashion designer Martine Rose.

Of the 13,917 students, including partner students, invited to attend this week’s ceremonies, 9,572 are undergraduate students, 4,202 are postgraduates, while 143 are doctoral students.

Medallists

Every year, the University awards Middlesex Medals to individuals for their outstanding contributions to the community and the University’s values. This year the recipients are:

Professor Brenda Barrett, an Emeritus Professor at Middlesex University whose award will be posthumously accepted by her daughter Jenny Barrett, was a distinguished legal academic and barrister whose work in occupational health and safety law left a lasting legacy in legal education and practice.

Professor Antonia Bifulco, who is founder and director of the Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies at Middlesex University, is a leading psychologist and academic whose pioneering research in trauma, attachment, and abuse has significantly advanced mental health care and social policy.

Mr Paul Butler, Chief Executive Officer, of the Selby Trust, a north London community hub supporting the Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) community, is a respected leader in London’s voluntary and community sectors.

Mr Ben Morrison has made an enduring impact on student life at Middlesex University through his dedicated service as Chair of the Students’ Union Board of Trustees, playing a critical role in transforming the Students’ Union into a more student-led, inclusive, and resilient organization aligned with the needs of its diverse membership.

Reverend Dr Julie Gittoes, vicar of St Mary’s and Christ Church in Barnet and Area Dean of the Diocese of London, is a dynamic faith leader, academic collaborator, and community builder who has made substantial contributions to the spiritual and cultural life of north London and Middlesex University.

Senior Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg OBE, one of the UK’s most respected religious leaders, is widely admired for his interfaith advocacy, environmental leadership, and inclusive approach to faith in public life. As Senior Rabbi of Masorti Judaism in the UK, he has dedicated his life to fostering understanding and unity across communities.

Find out more about our Honorary Graduates.