Summer graduation: our honorary graduates
24 July 2024
A local education leader, an ancient history expert, a pioneer in the expansion of education across East Africa and the founder of a jazz inspired democracy education project were all awarded honorary degrees during our graduation ceremonies this month.
Summer graduation ceremonies took place in July, with hundreds of students being celebrated for their achievements over the course of the seven days.
Our four honorary graduates were also recognised in that time. They include internationally renowned experts in their fields and people with a special relationship with the University and with Reading.
Wesley Watkins
Wesley Watkins, known as ‘Dr Wes’, is the founder of The Jazz & Democracy Project, a music integrated curriculum that utilises jazz as a metaphor to bring American democratic ideals to life. He received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters in a ceremony on Tuesday 23 July.
Dr Wes teaches learners of all ages, from elementary and secondary level schools in the US to colleges and universities. He also trains other educators in the use of jazz and democracy pedagogy.
His interest in jazz pedagogy started in his undergraduate studies, and developed through his PhD from the International Centre for Research in Music Education at the University of Reading. His work has taken him around the world as a teacher and researcher.
Read more about Wesley in our news story.
Ginny Rhodes
Ginny Rhodes is founding Chief Executive Officer of The Circle Trust, a multi-academy trust in the Reading and Wokingham area. She was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters in a ceremony on Tuesday 16 July, in recognition of her services to local schools.
Ginny enrolled on a Film and Drama degree at Reading in 1989 and remained to complete her Post Graduate Certificate in Education, meaning she has been a fully qualified teacher for more than 30 years.
Today, schools in The Circle Trust span from infant schools with nursery provision to secondary schools with sixth forms, serving more than 5,000 pupils and 500 employees. The Trust has a close relationship with the University and the Institute of Education, hosting trainee teachers for many years.
Read more about Ginny in our news story.
Roger Bagnall
Roger Bagnall, the first director of the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University, received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters in a ceremony on Wednesday 17 July.
Bagnall spent 33 years at Columbia University in New York, where he was head of the Classics department three times. His career includes both teaching and research and he has produced more than 50 books and edited volumes, and about 300 articles and chapters.
Bagnall has received many honours from institutions all over the world, including: the Sorbonne University in Paris, the University of Heidelberg in Germany, the University of California at Berkeley, Cambridge University, the British Academy, the Roman Society, the German Archaeological Institute, and the American Philosophical Society, to name a few.
Read more about Roger in our news story.
David Masua
David Masua is the Chief Executive Officer of Windle Trust International, a UK charity working in the East and Horn of Africa dedicated to expanding access to and improving the quality of education.
David has worked for the Trust for more than 20 years. He is a passionate education advocate, who believes that good quality education has the potential to transform lives, eradicate poverty and reduce social inequalities.
His own experience of living in refugee camps in the Congo and Uganda for several years taught him that education for children in those circumstances wasn’t taken seriously.
David – a Reading alumnus - received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters in a ceremony on Thursday 18 July.