25th July 2011
Double celebration for graduating mother and son at University of Salford
The Williams family will have two reasons to celebrate this week when mum Geraldine and son Paul both graduate from the University of Salford.
Both are also top achievers with Geraldine getting a distinction in her MSc Crime and Criminal Justice and Paul getting a first in his BSc (Hons) in Biological Science with studies in the USA.
It was actually Paul who put his mum onto Salford, as Geraldine explains: “Paul decided to study at Salford after visiting various universities in the North West - he found that Salford was the friendliest place and felt he would enjoy studying there.
“After visiting the University with Paul I too felt it would be a good place to study and we both started our courses in September 2008.”
While their courses were completely different, they were able to lend each other a helping hand on dissertations and revision and both attended the graduation ceremonies held at the Lowry 19-22 July to pick up their degrees.
Paul is now going to go to America, to the University of Toledo, where he spent a year on placement so that he can work towards a PhD, and Geraldine will be using her new skills in her work at Calderdale Youth Offending Team.
Paul said: “We’ve both really enjoyed our time at Salford and it was certainly interesting to be studying at the same place! Dad is also really happy for us – not least because he’s Salford born and bred.”
Alongside Paul and Geraldine and thousands of other students last week were honorary graduates including former Sunday Times editor, Sir Harold Evans, Peggy Seeger, activist and musician and Alan Garner OBE, novelist and film-writer.