Nurses of the future celebrate Spring Graduation

Future NHS, education and social care staff mark their graduation at special ceremony on the Hendon campus

Nurses of the future are among the many Middlesex University students graduating this weekend. The Faculty of Health, Social Care and Science is holding its Spring Graduation with students from Nursing, Midwifery, Social Care and Education celebrating the completion of their studies, before they embark on careers in vital public sector professions.
Every year Middlesex trains more than 1,500 nurses and midwives, 400 social workers, and 275 teachers. Students contribute 700,000 hours of NHS placements each year and nearly 300,000 of those hours are delivered in north and north-west London. 

Congratulating the students, Professor Shân Wareing, Vice Chancellor of Middlesex University, said: “Each of you has achieved something to be genuinely proud of. You worked hard, endured late nights, balanced work and family commitments, and faced challenges that at first seemed insurmountable. But you persisted – and more than that – you thrived. Graduation marks an important milestone.
“Your degree is their recognition of your achievement, your skills, your knowledge, and your potential. That should come with pride, but also with responsibility.”

One graduate Maria Vicente, 26, originally from Angola but now living in Colindale, North London, has had a remarkable journey as a student nurse during which time she also became a mother.  

In 2017, she was diagnosed with thyroid problems and spent a considerable amount of time in hospital. “Not having my mum in the country had a really big impact on me and I was in hospitals all the time by myself with no visitors,” said Maria. “But the nurses knew me and took care of me. The care of nurses inspired me to want to become a nurse and give back.”

Due to her ill health, Maria was unable to finish a Biomedical Science course in college but realised “nursing was my path”. She embarked on a one-year Access to Higher Education course in Nursing.
Maria’s placements as a student nurse included working in North Middlesex University Hospital and then in the surgical day ward at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust hospital.
“On my last placement in my first year I was in the same ward where I had been admitted and with my mask and they were having handover and all the nurses were with me and didn’t recognise me, but I couldn’t find handle the emotion. I started crying and when they asked ‘why’, I took my mask off and said ‘it’s Maria’ and they recognised me.
“For me it was a sign I was on the right path. Every single year I would encounter and work alongside doctors and nurses that helped me and for me that was beautiful thing that happened in my life.”
Another magical moment happened for Maria as she had her five-month-old son Jason during the course.  “It was so good to be supported by Middlesex University and not judged,” added Maria. 
“They are the best university ever for the support. In my last placement they made sure I wasn’t exposed to anything that would harm my baby or overworked. They planned my placements very well and I was very thankful.
“My belly was so huge in the end but everyone on the placement was really helpful!”
Maria also praised the support she received from library staff with referencing and from academics with assignments as she improved her English.

It was in her first year of studying at Middlesex University that nursing graduate Juliet Azie finally realised why she had struggled with learning and even tasks such as reading to her children.

Juliet was diagnosed with dyslexia and admitted at the time she “didn’t really understand the condition”. Now she is set to graduate with a first-class degree and has already started a new job in the Hepatology and Liver Transplant ward at the  Hampstead.
“I’m very excited to graduate on a personal level because of my journey,” she said.
“In a nutshell I’m the first out of all my parents’ kids to go to university and being an older adult, having just turned 50 recently, and a mother of four children, I’m so proud of my achievements.
“If anyone had told me in my twenties or thirties you would get a degree, I would have said ‘no I don’t think so’.  I’ve overcome so much to get this stage. Those barriers were high because of my dyslexia, but if you put your mind to it and really believe in yourself you will move mountains.”
It is extra special as Juliet, who is originally from Jamaica but lives in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, came to London around 30 years ago and when she did her husband Kaycee was studying accounting and finance at Middlesex. 
Since starting at Middlesex, Juliet has gained a close-knit group of five friends and praised the support from library and academic staff. She also relished her placements with the Royal Free, Barnet Hospital and St Pancras Rehabilitation. 
“I was scared on my first placement, but I visualised my family, friends and neighbours being there and dived in and the rest is history,” she added. 

Now a qualified nurse at the Royal Free Hospital’s renal ward, Adult Nursing student Petronela Cristea had dreamed of becoming a nurse since she was a child, following an illness and hospital treatments.

After moving to the UK, she worked at a nursing home while she studied an access course, which prepared her to apply for a nursing course at university level. Following an Open Day at Middlesex, Petronela was impressed by the University’s campus and informative and helpful staff.
Once a student at the University, Petronela succeeded in combining her studies with placements. During her degree, Petronela did a range of placements, including in cardiology, acute medical and pre-assessment units, and general surgery and elderly wards. 
She credits the supportive lecturers, placement officers and librarians for enabling her to manage the heavy workload and emotional impact of treating and caring for patients. Petronela praised the University’s facilities, in particular the StoneX Simulation Centre which prepared her for some of the scenarios she would come across in real-world hospitals, and the 24/7 library where she could study at any time.
She said: “The clinical skills facilities were like a real hospital. The lecturers all had experience working as nurses, so learning was not just theory. They were telling us about their experiences, and they were like a family. They know everything about what we're going through because they've been there already.”
Passionate about communicating with and advocating for patients, she is now studying for a Master’s in Psychology. This will better equip her to support patients, especially those with long-term illness, such as those she cares for in the renal ward. She said that “nursing is a great profession” but it’s important that nurses remember to look after themselves too, to seek advice and support from their team, and enjoy life.

Returning to study was a daunting challenge at first for graduate Nkechi Agbakaekwu.
She said: “Joining the course was a bit scary and difficult for me as an adult student who left school long time ago and a mother with family responsibilities.”

Nkechi, who is originally from Nigeria and lives in Croydon, revealed that she was given a dedicated one-one tutoring to help with improving her Maths skills, which was her biggest challenge. This support helped Nkechi pass the drug calculation tests.

Her placements included A&E, surgical wards, elderly wards, a women’s clinic, the bariatric department at Whittington, the assessment unit at Royal Free and community nursing in Highgate.
She has thanked Adult Nursing academics Tunde Elugbaju and Esther Jacob for their help with feedback and revision on the nursing assessment course, as well as her assessors Shawn Marie Robinson and Suzette Bertram for being “immensely supportive” during her clinical placement.
Praising the continued support and feedback at Middlesex, she said: “My lecturers were always willing to support and provide the answers to my questions without being judgemental. It’s the highest level of support I have ever received in education. Middlesex is also very culturally diverse and oriented.”
Nkechi might not be the only one in her family that will study at Middlesex as she took her 14-year-old son to the University and he “loved it and would want to study there”.

Abibatou Faal completed her Adult Nursing degree in summer 2025, qualifying as a nurse soon after. Since November, she has been working at the Royal Free Hospital—an environment already familiar to her from placements during her studies.

Early in her course, Abibatou noticed that reading and completing assignments took her longer than her peers. Recognising this, she reached out to the University for support and was later diagnosed with dyslexia. With the right help in place, she began to better understand how she learns and how to succeed.
Alongside her studies, Abibatou faced a deeply personal challenge. In her first year, she was a carer for her mother, who sadly passed away while Abibatou was balancing both university and placement. During this difficult time, she experienced grief and anxiety, but found strength through the wide range of support available to her at Middlesex—from one-to-one study skills sessions and counselling to guidance from lecturers, librarians and the student finance team.
Reflecting on her experience, Abibatou said: “Middlesex is top notch. The amount of support has been incredible. The lecturers, some amazing student nurses, student finance team, study skills advisers and counselling team have been so wonderful and supportive.”
Despite the challenges she faced, Abibatou progressed successfully into her second year, gaining valuable experience across a variety of placements, including theatres, anaesthetics, scrubs and recovery.
Her dedication and resilience did not go unnoticed. During her placement in theatres at the Royal Free Hospital, Abibatou received two MDX Nursing and Midwifery Student Awards: one for Outstanding Engagement During Practice Placement in Theatres, and another recognising her Perseverance and Tenacity in Achieving Success.
Now working as a qualified nurse, Abibatou reflects positively on her journey and the support that helped her succeed. She hopes her story will inspire other students facing challenges to stay engaged with their studies, persevere, and never hesitate to ask for support. On her advice for students, Abibatou said: “Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Nursing is challenging, and there will be difficult days, but don’t give up. Stay focused on why you started and remember that every step you take is bringing you closer to becoming the nurse you want to be.”

Find about more about Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work courses at Middlesex University.