Ellen makes a First-Class return to learning

Ellen Mulholland left St. Peter’s RC Secondary School in South Bank, Middlesbrough, with hardly any qualifications and limited career opportunities. Now, 30 years later, Ellen will graduate from the University of Teesside with a First Class BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology and receive the Steve Baldwin Memorial Prize for one of the best dissertations in the subject.

Professor Steve Baldwin lectured in Psychology at the University from 1998 to February 2001, when he was killed in the Selby train crash. The memorial prize is awarded annually to students who were at the University during Professor Baldwin’s time there.

Ellen is not the first in her family to graduate from the University. Last year her brother, internationally famous folk musician Vin Garbutt, received an Honorary Master of Arts degree from Teesside. Ellen, 46, from Eston, Middlesbrough, said: “Vin is so pleased for me, although I think he’s touring so can’t come to my graduation. Our mother Tess will definitely be in the audience at Middlesbrough Town Hall, along with my daughter Mary. I was proud of myself, getting a First, but the Prize was the cream topping. I remember Steve Baldwin clearly; he gave one of my first lectures. He was an absolutely marvellous, really dynamic lecturer who made the classes so interesting. His death was such a tragedy.”

Ellen came to the University after a diverse career in nursing. After qualifying in York, Ellen worked in a range of locations, including a children’s home in South Bank, in Saudi Arabia and Accident & Emergency in Middlesbrough General Hospital. Her final post was at the Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinic at the University Hospital of Hartlepool, where Ellen worked in a counselling/patient education role. She has continued to work part-time at the GUM clinic. Ellen’s prize-winning dissertation examined the health seeking behaviours of ten patients from the clinic. The findings of the dissertation are currently being prepared for publication.

“When I first left school we didn’t get much career advice as girls, it was either teaching or nursing. But I’d always been interested in Psychology, looking at people’s behaviour, what makes them think and act the way they do? There were so many interesting options within the degree and opportunities for individual, original research. The University’s facilities are excellent and the lecturers supportive, given the limitations on my time. I’ve learned so much about myself and feel much more confident in my work as a result of the knowledge and skills gained during the degree”, said Ellen.

Following her first degree, Ellen is now studying for a part-time Masters degree in Health Psychology at Teesside and lectures to first year Psychology undergraduates. She is also hoping to work towards a PhD if she can secure funding.

Ellen added: “I’d encourage anyone who is thinking about returning to study to give it a go. I’m a single parent who left school with no academic qualifications, and here I am on my second degree.”

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