天美传媒

Among the students gathered at in Luton to receive their hard-earned awards in front of proud classmates, friends and families, was scriptwriter Jack Thorne who was awarded with an Honorary Doctor of Arts for his outstanding contribution to theatre and literature.

Jack is one of Britain鈥檚 most successful scriptwriters, whose work moves seamlessly between radio, film, television and theatre. Jack's early writing career started right in Luton, where he lived for eight years, and wrote plays under the tutelage of the Royal Court Young Writers Programme.听

Most recently Jack is the writer behind the hit BBC drama adaptation of Pullman鈥檚 classic literacy trilogy 鈥楬is Dark Materials鈥� starring James McAvoy and Ruth Wilson.听

Jack鈥檚 commitment to his work has been recognised within the industry where he has won a number of awards including; 5 BAFTAS for his work on This is England鈥檚听鈥�86, 鈥�88, and 鈥�90, 鈥楾he Fades鈥� and 鈥楴ational Treasure鈥�. His play 鈥楬arry Potter and the Cursed Child鈥� has also won multiple Olivier Awards including Best New Play and multiple Tony Awards including Best Play.

On receiving his award, Jack said: 鈥淚 love Luton, I鈥檝e always loved Luton so to be connected to be this place thanks to the 天美传媒 is really, really special.

鈥淭he most important thing you can do is make. Whatever field you鈥檙e in just make and keep making because that鈥檚 the thing that will really get you the connections that mean something. If you want to write, act or whatever just do it as I think that will hold you in good stead.

Emily Bolton, founder and director of , a legal action charity that specialises in fighting miscarriages of justice, was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration for her outstanding services to the UK legal profession, civil rights and work against the death penalty in the USA.

Emily said: 鈥淭o get this honorary doctorate is a very moving experience because it is not just my work that is being recognised, but that of all the other people who have worked to make miscarriages of justice recognised in this country and who fight the death penalty in the United States. I鈥檓 here not only to pick up an award, but to accept the university鈥檚 recognition of the work of all the other people who work in this area.

鈥淢y advice for the students graduating today, whether they are graduating in business administration or in law, is that the problems of the world can be solved by organisation. If you create an organisation targeted at solving a particular problem, you will get that problem solved.

鈥淏urning issues of our time relate to protection of our environment and borders, and those are two areas where students from Bedfordshire can make a huge contribution by setting up organisations that will deliver solutions to the problems around protecting our environment and how borders are handled in an uncertain future.鈥�

Massive congratulations to all students who graduated today! We wish you the best of luck for the future! 馃帗

鈥� Beds SU (@BedsSU)

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Former Luton Town manager, Nathan Jones, was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science in recognition of his outstanding contribution to sport.

Nathan, whose first professional contract as a player was at Luton, guided the Hatters back into League One in 2018 after a 10-year absence.

He said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful accolade and I鈥檓 very proud to receive it for the work that we did here along with the all the staff, players and members of the club.听

鈥淚 knew from an early age that I wasn鈥檛 going to excel academically so I found a pathway where I could achieve something. If I could give advice to anyone it is to find something you鈥檙e very passionate about, find something you want to excel in, and then give it everything. If you believe in something go for it as you never know what might happen.鈥�