Katherine’s support for future graduates

Successful Teesside University graduate Katherine Hierons will help to support the next generation of students by offering a prestigious prize to a high achiever.

Since studying at Teesside, Katherine is maintaining links with the University by offering a prize for a student enrolled on year two of the Employability for Business module from Teesside University Business School. The first recipient of the prize will be chosen later this year. When she left school, Katherine, 46, of Redcar, didn't consider higher education. Instead, she started a secretarial course and began working for a law firm, then the Crown Prosecution Service. But she returned to study as her career progressed, taking on roles in trading standards enforcement and tackling anti-social behaviour, regeneration and community safety across Teesside.

Katherine went on to have an assistant director role with the Home Office’s Respect Taskforce, later returning to local government in Teesside before taking up her current role as an Assistant Director with what was the UK Border Agency, now Immigration Enforcement within the Home Office. 'When I left school I didn’t really think about university and instead started work. I returned to education as a way of progressing in my career,' said Katherine. She was among Teesside University’s first cohort of students to undertake Teesside’s own law degree, graduating in 1996. She went on to win a scholarship to complete an MBA (Master of Business Administration) in 2010. Katherine said: 'I've been very lucky as the Crown Prosecution Service, who I was working for at the time, part-sponsored me to complete the law degree and then winning a full scholarship to undertake the MBA at Teesside was amazing. 'I'm hoping that by awarding a prize to a student it's a way of giving something back and hopefully will help to inspire. The prize will be in my parents’ name, Barry and Ann Walker, as they have just celebrated their 50th anniversary and it’s a fitting tribute to them for the support they've given to me over the years.' She added: 'I wanted to continue to work full-time while studying, so Teesside University’s location was ideal for me. The facilities are great and studying at Teesside really helped to broaden my knowledge.

'Why go anywhere else when we have a University right on our doorstep. Whilst I was studying there in 2009, Teesside was voted University of the Year.'

To find out more about sponsoring a student prize email Jessica Turner or ring 01642 384264.

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