75 faces of Keele

Cynthia was Keele's first Article 26 student to graduate. Article 26 supports asylum seekers and forced migrants who wish to attend higher education in the UK but are unable to access funding via traditional routes. Cynthia, originally from Kenya, applied to study Psychology and Sociology at Keele University in 2014 through Article 26 and was awarded a full three-year scholarship. After graduating in 2018, Cynthia secured employment working in an Adult Health Team within a local council. So far seven Article 26 students have completed their qualifications, with nine more currently studying.

Joe worked at Keele in Russian Studies and then Film Studies, from 1972 until retirement in 2018. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1989, Reader in 1993 and in 1995 he became Professor of Russian Studies. Joe has a long history of involvement in voluntary organisations tackling homelessness locally. He was also a volunteer for the aid agency CAFOD for many years. Joe and his wife Barbara set up the Felix Andrew Student Opportunity Fund in memory of their adopted son, Felix, and in support of Article 26 students at Keele. Joe appeared on Mastermind in 2022, with the specialist subject of suffragette Emily Wilding Davison.

Rukia joined Keele as the University's first Muslim Chaplain in January 2018, and works alongside Chaplains from three Christian churches to serve those of all faiths and none. Rukia is an educator, tutor and religious thinker, and has a vision to develop a dynamic and forward-thinking Muslim community at Keele, which has been deeply rooted by her belief in promoting shared values of love, mercy and compassion. Rukia's dedication to equality and justice has seen national campaigns against forced marriage, honor killing and female genital mutilation. Rukia is also a key spokesperson and advocate for co-existence, mutual understanding and productive relationships between cultures, communities and religions.

Marion was a secretary in Stoke Town Hall when in 1949 she was appointed as the first employee of the University College of North Staffordshire, which took its first students in 1950. She was Secretary to Lord Lindsay and was subsequently Secretary to all three Registrars. In 1977 she was awarded the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal for Service to the University. She was awarded an honorary degree in 1996 for being a partner in the creation of Keele. Marion donated a group of White Poplar on the grass by the Chapel and Walter Moberly, close to where her office in the Registry had stood for over 30 years. There is one remaining.

Keele's first graduate to become a University Vice-Chancellor, Colin left Keele in 1964, with a History and Geography Degree. He was one of the pioneers of the sociology of class and race relations in the UK. Colin was appointed Vice-Chancellor of University of Bradford in 1998, and was later Principal at the University of Stirling, where he served just under two years before his sudden death on campus. He was well-known for his dedication to the cause of making higher education more accessible to students from socially deprived backgrounds.

An advocate for women in business and one of Africa's brightest young achievers, Nataliey graduated from Keele in 2013 with a degree in Business Management and Educational Studies. She was awarded an honorary degree from Keele in 2020 for her inspiring leadership and work to empower young women. Nataliey is the Chief of Staff of Uganda's Simba Group, a conglomerate of companies spanning the hospitality, energy, telecom, and real estate sectors, as well as a foundation which she oversees the operations of. She has been recognised amongst Africa's brightest young achievers by Forbes “30 Under 30”, and the World Economic Forum named her one of the Top 5 African Innovators.

Elizabeth, known as Betty, was a well-known and much-loved figure at Keele for many years. First starting at Keele Hall as a casual staff member and silver service waitress in 1972, she had worked her way up to the position of catering manager by the time she retired in 2004. Her family say that Betty's whole life revolved around Keele. Hundreds of mourners - including many of her former colleagues - attended a memorial service for Betty in Keele Hall following her death in 2012, which was reported on at the time by The Sentinel.

Described as 'one of the century's great educators', Tim was Professor in Education at Keele in the early 1990s, before going on to a variety of roles including London Schools Commissioner and other national roles, for which he was knighted in 2009. He was also awarded an honorary degree from Keele in 2003. His contribution and commitment to widening participation, raising aspirations, and challenging and reducing attainment gaps was immense at a time when it was much less recognised.

Becci's appointment to Chief Fire Officer at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2016 made history - as she became the first woman in the UK to reach the position after beginning her career as an operational firefighter. In 2020, Becci was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal for her distinguished service and contribution to the Fire and Rescue sector. She studied Industrial Relations at Keele from 2011, and was awarded an Honorary Degree from the University in 2018 for her outstanding career in the Fire Service, her contribution to the safety of the people of Staffordshire, and for being an exceptional role model and a champion for diversity in all its forms.

The founding Principal of Keele University, as the University College of North Staffordshire. He was known to his friends as Sandie Lindsay and to Keele as Lord Lindsay. Lindsay was a prominent figure in the adult education movement and had been deeply involved with the Workers' Educational Association in his younger days. Lindsay was a strong advocate of working-class adult education, and had suggested a “people's university” in an address to the North Staffordshire Workers' Educational Association as early as 1925. On his retirement from Balliol College in 1949, Lindsay was able to apply his lifelong principles and educational philosophy to found a new and experimental university at Keele.

A much-loved figure on the campus over the last 60 years. Neil's mother worked as a cleaner at the University and as a schoolboy in the 1960s he became a fixture on campus. Neil subsequently became an unofficial mascot for Keele and was granted honorary life membership of the University's Students' Union in 1968, and in 2013 he received an honorary degree from the University. Neil is the subject of an award-winning BBC television drama, Marvellous, in which he is played by Toby Jones. A play of the same name was performed in London's West End in 2022.

The Denise Coates Foundation Building, a three-storey landmark development at the entrance to the Keele campus, was opened in 2020 by Denise, one of the world's most successful business leaders and an honorary graduate and benefactor of Keele. The Denise Coates Foundation Scholarship also offers a cash bursary each year for 100 undergraduate students from the local area who come to study at Keele.

Monica was a leader in her chosen field of academic research. During her distinguished career, she produced pioneering works in the fields of biogeography and geobotany, remote sensing and terrain analysis, and mineral exploration. Her research spanned Central and Southern Africa, Brazil, Venezuela, Australia and, latterly, China and Finland. Monica was employed at Keele as a lecturer in 1951 by the new head of the department of Geography, Stanley Beaver, and promoted to senior lecturer in 1961. After Keele, she returned to her Alma Mater, Bedford College, to take up the Chair of Geography. She was awarded the Royal Geographical Society's Murchison Award in 1987. The Monica Cole Research Grant is still offered by the society each year.

Tony studied French and History at Keele in the 1960s, and became editor of the Keele Magazine Unit, turning it into a contemporary arts publication. He then founded Time Out in 1968 with £70 during his summer vacation from Keele, which he transformed into a global media brand. Keele welcomed Tony back 45 years after he left, awarding him an honorary degree for his success in the publishing industry. In 2017 Tony was appointed a CBE for services to publishing.

Brian was Vice-Chancellor of Keele between 1985 and 1995, following a role as Director of the International Research Institut Laue Langevin in France, while on leave from the University of Oxford. He led an expansion of student numbers and research after the funding cuts of the early 1980s. After leaving Keele, Brian was the Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England from 1995 to 2001. He has honorary degrees or fellowships from 11 universities and colleges.

Claus Moser was an eminent statistician, economist and champion of the arts and science. A former chairman of the Royal Opera House, he could have become a professional musician, but he chose academia, and academic honours were thrust upon him. During his long and very distinguished career, highlights included being President of the Royal Statistical Society and setting up the 1991 National Commission on Education. He was Keele's Chancellor between 1986 and 2002, during a time of significant change and development of the University, both in terms of academic and physical structure.

Jonathon is a prominent campaigner and eminent writer, broadcaster and commentator on sustainable development. The co-founder of Forum for the Future, Jonathon was formerly Director of Friends of the Earth (1984-90) and co-chair of the Green Party (1980-83) of which he is still a member, a Trustee of WWF-UK (1991-2005) and a member of the Board of the South West Regional Development Agency (1999-2008). Jonathon received a CBE in January 2000 for services to environmental protection. He served as Keele's Chancellor between 2012 and 2022.

Olive was the leading social work academic of her generation. She helped to improve the well-being and safety of vulnerable children and adults, made an immense contribution in teaching, writing and practice, and influenced several generations of scholars. Olive was a Professor of Social Policy and Social Work at Keele between 1976 and 1983. Before she switched to academia in 1959, Olive worked as a social worker. She came to wider attention when she was involved in the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of eight-year-old Maria Colwell in 1973. Olive was also known for her research and published works which focused on child welfare, safeguarding, social work and social work education.

Philip has long loved the Keele campus and has watched its development over the decades since arriving at Keele in the late 1960s to study Mathematics and Geography. Thanks to the Keele tradition of joint honours degrees and flexible courses, and a year at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, Philip graduated with a degree in American Studies and Sociology. As well as writing and editing numerous books and articles on US politics, he has served as Chair of the British Association for American Studies (BAAS). Philip was inspired to set up the Phil Davies Fund in support of Keele's beautiful campus and environment and, in particular, the Arboretum and National Collection of Flowering Cherries. Funding has gone towards projects such as the planting of maple trees around Union Square, developing and maintaining the Memorial Garden and purchasing new and unusual specimens for the cherry collection.

John, the Head of Grounds at Keele, retired in 2014 after 34 years at the University. John did a tremendous amount to look after the estate and was a key figure in facilitating the setting up of the arboretum and the National Collection of Flowering Cherries. He was also a mace-bearer at Keele graduation ceremonies for many years. John represented so much of Keele, both campus and village – he was on the parish council and there is a stone in his memory at the entrance to Hawthorns. There was standing room only at his funeral in Keele village in 2019.

As a symbol of hope and imagination, Keele adopted a winged dragon as its mascot and named it Herbert. For many years it was believed to date from the turn of the 20th Century and to perhaps be one of a pair of giant boot-scrapers, made for Keele Hall at the nearby Gresham's Apedale Works. However, Herbert is actually 19th Century North European and not a local from North Staffordshire. Herbert lives in the 'Dragon's Den' in Keele Library.

Walter was a British academic who, as chairman of the University Grants Committee, played a significant role in the creation of Keele University. He began his academic career as a lecturer in political science at the University of Aberdeen. He then served with distinction in the Great War and joined the University of Birmingham as a Professor of Philosophy. He later became Principal of the University College of the South West of England and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester, before joining the University Grants Committee in 1935. Walter was hugely supportive of Lord Lindsay's vision for a new kind of university, enabling Lindsay to found the experimental University College of North Staffordshire in 1950 – which became Keele University in 1962. The Walter Moberly building on our campus, one of Keele's most iconic buildings from the 1950s, is named in his memory.

Chancellor of Keele University until July 2024, James is the Chief Executive of Timpson Group, one of the UK's largest and most socially responsible retailers. James is well-known and respected for his leading role in training, mentoring and employing former prisoners and giving people a second chance – with around 10% of Timpson colleagues made up of people who have criminal convictions. James is the current chair of the Prison Reform Trust, a position he has held since 2016. He was installed as the University's fifth Chancellor in June 2022.

Jo studied Applied Social Studies and Sociology and Social Anthropology at Keele, with a diploma in social work, graduating in 1971, and went on to become the Chief Executive of Mencap between 2002 and 2008. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2007 New Year Honours for “services to people with learning disabilities”. She held the position of Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council at Keele University between 2018 and 2022.

Fiona studied Law and Psychology at Keele between 1966 and 1970 and had a long and successful career as an energy and infrastructure lawyer. A past President of the Law Society of England and Wales, she was the Lord Mayor of London for the year 2013/14 as the 686th Lord Mayor, and only the second woman to hold the role since 1189. She was awarded a DBE in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to the Legal Profession, Diversity and the City of London, in recognition of her longstanding commitments in public life.

Farah was the High Commissioner of Maldives to the United Kingdom and the non-resident Ambassador of Maldives to France, Ireland and Spain before retiring from the foreign service in November 2023 and resigning from the post of High Commissioner. Farah came to Keele in 1986 to study International Relations. She visited campus last year to give a lecture as part of the Global Challenges Lecture Series and to share her expertise and experiences with students during a workshop.

Mike is the Current Pro Chancellor and Chair of Council at Keele. He is the former Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, having built a successful career at the highest levels in the public and private sector, particularly in healthcare and sport. He was awarded a CBE in 2005 for services to the NHS and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Physicians.

Janet was Vice-Chancellor of Keele University between 1995 and 2010. Her retirement in 2010 signalled the end of an era marking great strides in the development of the University. A notable achievement during this time for the University, and the local community, was the founding of the Medical School. The establishment of the Medical School, and the creation of a multi-disciplinary Faculty of Health, marked a watershed in the expansion of health provision at Keele. Janet was named a DBE in the 2008 Birthday Honours List, for services to social science and higher education.

Samuel was one of the giants of post-war British political science. His university career started in 1946 as a lecturer and then junior research fellow in politics at Balliol College, Oxford, and ended with his retirement as Gladstone Professor at Oxford in 1982. These years saw a significant expansion of political science in universities. Samuel was a key figure in developing new fields of research and in influencing appointments to university chairs of politics in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1950 he was appointed Founding Professor of Politics at Keele and was later Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Samuel will long be remembered for his many fine books and articles. His books on comparative government and on British politics were a staple diet for thousands of British and American undergraduates in the 1960s and 1970s.

Nick is a graduate of Oxford and Southampton universities and has had a long and diverse relationship with higher education, working at some of the UK's leading universities. He was Vice-Chancellor of Keele University from 2010 to 2015, and Interim Vice-Chancellor of Bath Spa University from 2017 to 2018. An expert in education policy and management, Nick has sat on and continues to sit on several boards in the UK and globally and has also made a huge contribution to the development of governance frameworks within the higher education sector. Most recently he has been the interim President and Vice-Chancellor of the University for the Creative Arts.

Ronnie, as he was universally and affectionately known, was appointed inaugural Professor of Sociology at Keele in 1969, and helped make it one of the leading departments in Britain. He used his authority to build a genuinely joint department of anthropologists and sociologists, and was inspired by the student protests of the period to develop the innovative workshop seminar system. It helped make Keele a pioneer in key areas of research in science and technology studies, in visual culture, and in the sociology of time. By the time Ronnie died in 2015, he was one of most widely acknowledged figures in British social anthropology.

David taught in the Chemical Engineering Department at Cambridge University for 23 years, but left in 1979 to become Vice-Chancellor at Keele. He enjoyed a distinguished career in higher education, including roles as Vice-Chancellor at Exeter University, Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, President of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and Master of Selwyn College. In the wider world, he was chairman of the Government's Advisory Committee on the safety of nuclear installations.

John was a British mathematician and Professor of theoretical physics at the University of Bristol, and then of theoretical science at the University of Cambridge. He was an important pioneer in the development of modern computational chemistry and theoretical chemistry and held many prestigious positions, including President of the Faraday Society from 1948 to 1950. In April 1953 he was invited to follow the late Lord Lindsay and become the second principal of the new University College of North Staffordshire at Keele. He threw himself whole-heartedly into this work and did a great deal to promote good relations between the college and the people of North Staffordshire, but died in 1954 when he had been in the post less than a year. The building housing the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences at Keele is named after him.

Trevor became Vice-Chancellor of Keele University in August 2015. Before moving to Keele as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost in January 2014, Trevor was Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research at Lancaster University, where he led several major academic developments. Prior to this, he was a research scientist at the Institute of Cancer Research/Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where he studied the biological effects of ionising radiation. He was awarded an OBE for services to higher education in the Queen's Jubilee Birthday Honours, in June 2022.

Joan attended Portland House High School, Stoke-on-Trent, and Stoke-on-Trent College of Art. She then went to Keele, where she took a BA degree with joint honours in History and Politics and completed a PhD degree in Politics in 1986. Joan was the first-ever female Principal and Vice-Chancellor of a Scottish University, Edinburgh Napier, and is currently the Chair of Capital Theatres, in Edinburgh. She received an honorary doctorate from Keele in 2001.

David was a world-leading clinical scientist and pioneering researcher. He received a medical degree from the University of Liverpool in 1956, and then joined the British Army as part of his National Service. It was during this time that he found his passion for the lifelong study of haemoglobinopathies. David joined Keele in 2002 as Chancellor and was invaluable in setting up the new School of Medicine, including recognising how important the development of Primary Care research could be for the University. In 2012 the School building was named in his honour.

Jonathan was the first Keele graduate to become a Bishop, and was the Bishop of Lichfield from 2003 to until his retirement in 2015. Prior to that, he was the Bishop of Southampton, from 1996 to 2003. Jonathan studied French and German at Keele between 1968 and 1972, and received an honorary doctorate from the University in 2007 in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to the Church and to the people and the County of Staffordshire."

The first Keele graduate to be elected to the House of Commons. John, who studied History and Economics and Politics, was a former Labour minister and MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, elected at a by-election in 1969. Within weeks of arriving at the House of Commons, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Eric Varley, one of Harold Wilson's closest associates. In 1986, he left Parliament to take up the post of General Secretary of the National Communications Union. Since John, Keele has produced several other politicians and Members of Parliament.

A former Keele Student of the Year, Lincoln was the winner of the Keele Alumni Award at the Keele Health and Care Partnership Awards in 2023. He is now a Practice Educator / Learning Disability Nurse in the NHS. Lincoln studied Learning Disability Nursing at Keele, and the passion for his work was demonstrated by his continued involvement on a voluntary basis of a number of workstreams.

Today, Keele's campus is home to a bustling science and business park, which more than 50 businesses currently call their home. Ranging from start-ups to multinationals, all tenants are keen to collaborate with their peers and the University, using the shared knowledge to develop and grow. Mondrem, based in the Smart Innovation Hub, is a public service transformation consultancy which focuses on creating the best possible work environment for their customers and staff. Everyone in the team is either a Keele graduate, is studying at Keele, or has been part of one or more of the business development programmes run by the University.

Keith was a former First Team Coach for Keele University Football, who passed away in 2015. His commitment to sport at Keele and its students spanned more than 20 years and in 2016, the Keith Harrison Sports Park was officially opened and named in his memory. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Keele in 2014 in recognition of him being a role model for Keele students, and for his support of local charities. Before Keele, he had enjoyed a distinguished career with the RAF, Staffordshire Police, the Royal protection team and the British Army.

Alan joined Keele in October 1949, one of the founding academics of the University College and the first Professor of Biology in the country. In 1950 he joined the BBC Radio programme 'Gardeners' Question Time' and was a regular panel member for more than 30 years, completing over 1,200 broadcasts. Disagreements on the show between Alan, the programme's resident academic, and fellow panel member Bill Sowerbutts, became legendary. He went on to become the Head of the Biology Department at Keele before retiring in 1977. Between 1981 and 1985 he had his own BBC Radio 4 show called 'Gemmell's Gardens'. In the academic world he was respected as the author of Developmental Plant Anatomy, co-editor of the first volume of Chronica Botanica and contributor to many papers of learned journals. He was awarded an OBE in 1981 and received an Honorary Doctor of Science from Keele in 1986.

Mike graduated from Keele in 1980 with a degree in American Studies and Sociology, and during his time at the University, he co-founded North Staffs Gay Switchboard, an information and counselling service offering support to LGBT people. He then went on to become co-founder of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) during the 1984 Miners' Strike - which was immortalised in the award-winning film 'Pride'. Mike was awarded an Honorary Degree from Keele in 2018 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to social justice and equality.

The Friends of Keele were a wide range of people brought together by a common interest in the ongoing promotion, support and development of Keele University. The Friends' membership included University alumni, current and former staff, members of the local community, corporate members and local societies. The network provided significant support to Keele by giving both time and donations to key University projects and activities. Pictured is former President, Pippa Gee, also a former High Sheriff of Staffordshire.

John is well-known for publishing a popular history of Keele's first half-century, and his concise history of Keele Hall sold 25,000 copies. In 1965 John applied for the post of assistant in the registry at Keele. While at the University, he organised concerts that attracted international stars including the mezzosoprano Dame Janet Baker and the virtuoso violinist Ruggiero Ricci. His wife, Mary, was a Senior Lecturer in Biology at the University. John was also the honorary secretary of the Association of Czechoslovak Legionaries Abroad, and had campaigned to establish a memorial for them in the National Memorial Arboretum, in Staffordshire. The 250 friends who attended John's funeral included military attachés from the Czech and Slovakian embassies.

Adam Konowe came to Keele from the US on a study abroad year in 1988-89. Adam is Senior Vice-President at Edelman Business Marketing, Adjunct Professorial Lecturer at American University, and President of the Keele in the USA, a network of alumni which fundraises and promotes the University in the United States. Adam is also a key international volunteer for Keele, often speaking at events, hosting reunions and mentoring current students.

Described as "The king of human rights work", Michael studied History and Philosophy at Keele in the early 1960s, was Secretary of the Students' Union in his second year, and describes his time at Keele as 'life-changing'. He has represented clients in some of the most controversial legal cases the country has seen, particularly where issues of Civil Liberty have arisen. Examples include cases involving the Birmingham Six, relatives of victims of the Hillsborough disaster, Princess Diana, Jill Dando, bereaved families in the Grenfell Tower fire, Bloody Sunday, Stephen Lawrence, Jean Charles de Menezes and currently the family of Dawn Sturgess, who died in the Wiltshire novichok poisonings. He is one of Keele's most well-known alumni.

After graduating with a degree in Politics and Sociology and Social Anthropology from Keele in 2000, Sophie went on to pursue a career in the fitness industry. She was appointed as the new CEO of Total Fitness in 2018, following nearly 20 years' experience in the industry. Sophie was the first female CEO in the UK's commercial sector, as well as being one of the youngest, and helped to reverse a steady decline in membership across the brand while boosting member and employee satisfaction. Sophie has received national recognition for her success in transforming the company's fortunes with a string of accolades, including being named Business Woman of the Year (large business) at the National Business Women's Awards in 2019.

Working for ITV News, Manali is head of their Millbank Studios in the heart of Westminster. The studios support ITV's political and weather output. Manali leads the ITV Weather team, managing all broadcast and digital content across the channel. She occasionally presents the ITV National and Regional Weather. Manali graduated from Keele in 1996 with a degree in Geography and Geology, and completed a Master's in Information Technology in 1997.

Miriam came to Keele as an undergraduate student, graduating with a Combined Honours degree in English and Geography in 1976. After a year working at pottery firm Wedgwood and then travelling, she came back to Keele to study for her PhD in Social/Human Geography. Miriam returned to Keele's recently established Centre for Social Gerontology in 1988 to help set up – and teach on - the first programmes in Gerontology outside of London. She was promoted to Senior Lecturer in October 1995, Reader in September 1997 and, in May 1999, was awarded a personal Chair. She was awarded the prestigious British Society of Gerontology's Outstanding Achievement Award in 2022, for contributions to our understanding of ageing and improving the lives of older people, and received an MBE in the most recent New Year Honours.

Stan, part of the Founding Class of 1950-54, received his English, History, and Education degree at Keele's very first graduation ceremony. A former teacher and headteacher, Stan is considered an expert in prehistoric rock art, the study of human-made markings placed on natural stone. He has published dozens of books in the field and has appeared on TV and in the media on numerous occasions. Stan was awarded an MBE in 2019 for his services to prehistoric rock art and history in Britain.

Gladys, Secretary of the North Staffordshire Workers' Education Association, played an important role in the creation of the University College of North Staffordshire, now Keele University. After the Second World War, much of the thrust behind the campaign to create a university in the area came from the group. She was involved in drafting the original Charter and alongside Lord Lindsay and Alderman Horwood, she argued for the university during a crucial meeting in 1949 that brought the universities of Birmingham and Manchester to join with Oxford in sponsoring the new university. Gladys continued to serve Keele as a member of the Court of Governors. For her enthusiasm and contribution, she was awarded an honorary degree at Keele in 1966.

Gordon has five Keele degrees – and is due to pick up his sixth at summer graduation. Gordon first arrived at Keele in 1971 to study history and law. It included taking the University's ground-breaking foundation year, where students got to sample a broad range of subjects. Gordon has become so hooked on studying that he has been a student, on and off, for the last 53 years. He met his wife, Katy, at Keele.

Gaye is Chair of Keele's College of Fellows and an Honorary Doctor of the University. She is the former director and curator of Wedgwood Museum Trust and is credited for saving the Wedgwood Museum in Staffordshire, now known as the V&A Collection at World of Wedgwood. Gaye is an internationally recognised expert on Wedgwood, is Chair of the Raven Mason Collection at Keele and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the V&A.

Audrey founded the UK's first university student counselling service – in 1964 at Keele. Audrey was working at Keele as head of its careers department (then known as the appointments office) in 1963 when she suggested to the Vice-Chancellor that the university should add on a personal counselling service for students experiencing difficulties in various areas of their lives. The plan was approved, and Audrey set about establishing the first service of its kind at any UK university. For more than 21 years, Audrey counselled thousands of students and staff members, putting Keele at the forefront of student support and counselling in the UK. During this time, she published 'Student Counselling in Practice', the first textbook devoted to student counselling in the UK which went on to influence the development of similar services in many other universities.

Sam was Keele's first South African scholar, who graduated in 1969 with a first class degree in Economics and History and Politics, and went on to become an internationally acclaimed expert in South African politics. A professor of political science and African politics at the University of Rochester, in New York, he was also acting director of the university's Frederick Douglass Institute for African and African-American Studies. In December 1996 he had been offered the most important position in the South African university system, the vice-chancellorship of the University of the Witwatersrand, but was forced to turn down the offer due to ill health. Photograph by James Montanus. Courtesy of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, University of Rochester.

David was a giant in American Studies. He was appointed Assistant Lecturer in History at Keele in 1957, rising to Professor in 1972. His interest in America, ignited by a postgraduate year at Yale, led to the formation of the Department of American Studies at Keele in 1965. David was founding Head of Department, remaining in post until 1993. One of his proudest achievements was the establishment of the David Bruce Centre for American Studies in 1969. He was Director of the research centre until 1997 and thereafter Honorary President. David was also active nationally and internationally. In 1997 he was recognised by award of the OBE 'for services to North American Studies in the UK' and in 2000 Keele added an Honorary DLitt to his awards.

Eran graduated from Keele's School of Law in 2005. Since then she has climbed the ranks from Trainee Solicitor to Specialist Prosecutor for the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division with the Crown Prosecution Service. Eran, who is registered blind, was featured in the acclaimed legal documentary 'The Prosecutors' and was awarded an OBE in the New Year's honours list of 2019, and received an honorary degree from Keele in 2022.

Having graduated from Keele in 2009 with a degree in English and Politics, TV presenter AJ is now one of the nation's most recognisable broadcasters. With bags of energy and her Lancashire charm, she has made a name for herself over the years and fronted a number of successful programmes. She was most recently the co-host of the Big Brother reboot, alongside Will Best, which broadcast on ITV1, ITV2 and ITVX. She will return as host alongside Will for Celebrity Big Brother later this year. Further career highlights include reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing 2021, and featuring in the February 2024 issue of British Vogue.

Jacob is a firm believer in the importance of advocating for the increased support of students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and has dedicated much of his studies and career to the cause. In 2015, the British Medical Association (BMA) released a report on the diversity of the medical workforce that showed 20 per cent of secondary schools in the UK provided 80 per cent of all applicants to medicine. On the back of this, Jacob set up The Aspiring Medic's Support (TAMS) in 2018. The not-for-profit organisation has helped thousands of aspiring young medical students from disadvantaged backgrounds with their medical journeys. Jacob graduated from Keele in 2021.

Earl graduated from Keele in 1989 with a degree in Law and American Studies. He is currently a criminal defence barrister and prosecutor at No5 Barristers' Chambers, where he routinely appears in high profile cases including the largest ever NHS dental fraud, the Birmingham Riots and the west London contract killing of an Imam. Earl defends and prosecutes serious criminal allegations including homicide, non-accidental child injury, drugs conspiracies, armed robbery, people trafficking and gang related crime. In difficult cases where the closing speech may carry the day, he has gained a reputation for being highly persuasive.

Known affectionately as 'Prof', James was appointed Professor of Orthopaedics at Keele at just 38 years old. He undertook more than 100 hip replacements annually and many other operations, but he used to say, “you can help only so many patients through surgery. You can help far more through research.” James played a pivotal role in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approving the autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) procedure for articular cartilage defect, after more than 20 years of trials and research. He died unexpectedly in 2018.

Princess Margaret was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and sister to Queen Elizabeth II. Our Chancellor from 1962 to 1986, she was a dedicated and distinguished servant of Keele University and visited the campus frequently for the conferral of awards at graduation ceremonies and for special occasions. She remains the longest-serving Chancellor in Keele's history.

Harriet is Keele's current Student of the Year. She spent five years balancing a demanding medical degree with a career in professional football with Birmingham City and the Republic of Ireland, and is now working as a doctor in the NHS. Harriet is also an ambassador for the Red Cross UK and British Heart Foundation charities. She has been able to use her growing social media presence to promote other important healthcare education topics, such as raising awareness of breast and menstrual health.

Neil graduated from Keele in 1980 with a degree in Physics and Economics. Neil was President of the Students Union (1979), President of the Athletic Union (1978) and Speaker of the Union (1980). He won colours in rugby, football and cricket. Neil won a Knox Fellowship to attend Harvard Business School, from where he graduated with an MBA. With his wife, he founded the prestigious Gina and Neil Smith Student of the Year Award which recognises Keele students for their outstanding achievements. In 2012, Neil wrote the New York Times Bestseller, How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things, with help from another Keele graduate, Rick Levak. Neil was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of the University by Keele in 2015. He is currently a Partner at McKinsey and Company in New York.

Phil Soar is a respected and successful author, publisher and businessman. A former Chairman of Nottingham Forest Football Club, Phil set up a magazine publishing company in Tokyo which in 1991 won the Japanese Publisher of the Year Award. Phil is also the official historian of both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur football clubs. Phil graduated from Keele with a degree in History and Sociology and Social Anthropology in 1969. He set up the Phil Soar Bursary to provide students from a similar background to himself the opportunity to access the vital funding they need to support their higher education experience at Keele, and has so far supported 33 students through the fund.

Keele's first recorded overseas student was Edward Lee Spencer, Jr, of Alabama. While studying as a Fulbright Scholar in 1952-1953 at Keele, he married Ruth Priester, a marriage that would last 70 years. Returning to Alabama, he became a well-known civic and business leader and generous benefactor to the community. He was elected to the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in 2011. Edward valued immensely his time at Keele and continued to support its student community through annual donations.

Campbell Stewart gave 30 years of his life to Keele University, first as founding Professor of Education and later as its Vice-Chancellor, from 1967 to 1979. To the wider world of scholarship, Stewart was well-known for his substantial studies of the Quakers in education, of their "progressive" school movement, and for editing Karl Mannheim's posthumous papers, as well as for serving on many public bodies. He died while on a visit to the University in 1997.

The Keele University Art Collection was formed in the early 1960s from a generous donation by Sir Barnett Stross – the doctor, art lover, Labour politician and MP for Stoke-on-Trent for nearly 20 years. Many artists working in Britain from the 1930s to the 1950s are represented in this gift including L. S. Lowry, Michael Ayrton, Duncan Grant and Rowley Smart. In response to the 1942 genocidal Nazi atrocity in the mining village of Lidice, Barnett spearded the 'Lidice Shall Live' campaign in Stoke-on-Trent and mobilised the local mining community in solidarity. The campaign to rebuild Lidice raised £32,000, the equivalent of around £1 million today.

Graham Lees, David Emley BEM and Peter Thomas (left to right) were instrumental in setting up, and continuing to maintain, the arboretum at Keele. They arranged lunchtime walks for staff and the public, laid out the woodland walk trails, labelled many trees, and created an extensive arboretum website – all done on a voluntary basis. They also set up and maintain Keele's important National Collection of Flowering Cherries - the largest of its kind in Europe with over 230 species and varieties, many not found elsewhere.

The Elected Officer Team represents all students at Keele, working to make sure their time at the University is the best it can be. Jade, Maisie, Tom and Sam were elected in March 2023 and work closely with senior leaders at the University and in the local community to represent students. The Union was founded in 1961, with the foundation stone of the current building laid by HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Any student can become an elected officer, with elections held annually.

Harold was a New Zealand-born British mathematician, theoretical physicist and academic administrator, who served as the first Vice-Chancellor of Keele between 1962 and 1967. He was best known as a historian of architecture and the author, with his first wife Joan Taylor, of the three volumes of Anglo-Saxon Architecture, published between 1965 and 1978. He was President of the Royal Archeological Institute between 1972 and 1975

In 1968, a quartet of Keele undergraduates triumphed in TV's toughest test of general knowledge - University Challenge. In only the fifth season of the long-running varsity quiz, Keele's team of Paul Brownsey (History and Philosophy), Pamela Maddison (Law and Psychology), Aubrey Lawrence (Latin and History), and Andrew MacMullen (Law and Politics) swept all before them, answering even the trickiest questions put to them by Bamber Gascoigne. Captained by Aubrey, usually known as Larry, Keele beat Jesus College Cambridge in the final. Their prize was a specially-commissioned decorative 'polyester resin' window designed for the winning college by York artist Reg Williams, and unveiled in Keele by Chancellor Princess Margaret.

Thousands of students have graduated to the sound of the organ in Keele Chapel, played by organist Geoffrey Walker for the last 20 years. For much of his career, Geoffrey has been engaged in music education. From 1974 until 2000 he was Director of Music at Newcastle-under-Lyme School. His current teaching schedule includes Denstone College, where he is Chapel Organist, and he has been tutor in organ and harpsichord at Keele since 2005. Geoffrey is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. For 30 years he was musical director of the Ceramic City Choir. In this role, Geoffrey initiated some pioneering 'town and gown' collaborations with Keele's own Philharmonic Choir, and this brought some historic performances of massed choral works to the Victoria Hall in Hanley, including Berlioz' monumental 'Requiem'.

Fumiko became Keele's first Japanese research student in 1963. Her husband, Masaharu, had been assigned by his employer to study abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Not wanting to live alone without him as they had just got married, Fumiko decided to study abroad to stay closer to him and wrote a letter to some 30 vice-chancellors of universities in the UK, begging for a scholarship to study physics in graduate school. Two universities replied – including Keele – which offered Fumiko an exemption from tuition fees, accommodation and meal expenses and even a monthly scholarship. Fumiko left Keele in 1964 and went on to become the first female president of The Physical Society of Japan. A distinguished scientist, Fumiko received the L'Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science in 2005 for her pioneering theory and computer simulations on amorphous semiconductors and liquid metals. A plaque was unveiled in memory of Fumiko on our campus in 2023.