Teesside Women making a difference

From coaching future athletes to supporting women in engineering, our alumni are driving change and giving back to the next generation.

Teesside University is proud to have an ever growing alumni community filled with remarkable women who continue to support one another and the wider TU community. As we approach International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the women who help make our region such an outstanding place to live, work and study.

The theme for 2026 is Give to Gain, highlighting the idea that when we give, we all gain. It encourages a mindset of generosity and collaboration - whether through donations, knowledge, resources, visibility, advocacy, education, mentoring or time. Every contribution towards women’s advancement helps build a more supportive and interconnected world.

This spirit has been demonstrated recently through the incredible support our alumni continue to offer both local communities and current Teesside students.

Gemma Grainger (BSc Sport & Exercise, 2013) recently returned to her Teesside roots from Norway, where she is currently Head Coach of the Norway Women’s Football Team. A passionate advocate for Teesside, she volunteers her time and expertise to inspire the next generation of female footballers. Reflecting on her journey, Gemma shared: “I’m really proud to be from Middlesbrough, and to have studied at Teesside University, and more importantly to keep connections from the people on your journey.” She added: “It is a real pleasure to coach any age, from under 15s up to international level, and is something I’ve done throughout my coaching journey.”

We also recently launched the Steph McGovern Women in Engineering Scholarship, supporting female students completing engineering degrees. The scholarship is powered by Enginuity, led by fellow alumna Ann Watson (BA (Hons) Business Studies, 1994), who described the partnership with Steph and Teesside University as “a powerful collaboration and a positive step towards cracking the conundrum of producing more female engineers.” Teesside University Honorary graduate, Steph McGovern, a strong champion of the initiative, spoke about the importance of removing barriers and encouraging more women into engineering: “It’s really important to me that we encourage people into the jobs where we need them, and the engineering field is where we have a real need for more people in the many fields of engineering, but in particular, we need more women!”

At Teesside University, we’re proud to be connected to so many incredible women who embody this year’s theme: Give to Gain. It reflects the power of reciprocity and support - when individuals, organisations and communities give generously, opportunities for women grow. Giving is not a subtraction; it’s intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise.

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