The University celebrated the success of one adult learner who not only achieved a First Class Honours degree, but also landed a job in support of the Government's Positive Parenting initiative.

They say life begins at 40 and Leonie Lorielhe was certainly given a new lease of life after deciding to study for her degree in Public Health. Leonie, who had become a fully qualified nurse, says that her education prior to doing the Public Health degree had been a long hard struggle. At 16, shortly before her O-Levels, Leonie's mother had died and tragically she found herself without means and with poor results. In 1981 she qualified as a registered nurse, but felt she had become stagnant in the job. Soon after graduating with her new qualification, she landed the job as Head of the Telford and Wrekin Sure Start Outreach Team - the first job she had applied for.

"To have the opportunity to study and achieve a degree are things I thought would never happen," she said. "To pass with First Class Honours is a great turning point in my life. At the age of 41, I find myself looking forward to a rich and rewarding new career, whereas at 38 I had almost given up and was counting the years to retirement."

Meanwhile, Computer Aided Product Design student Gareth Southall spent his summer on placement at Redditch-based Design Q and found himself designing a new saloon version of the Jensen sports car.

The School of Computing and Information Technology held a month-long computing summer school and welcomed 19 HND students from Italy seeking to top-up their qualifications to degree level. While staff from Business and Engineering hosted a range of workshops and activities as part of a two-week summer school for talented Telford and Wrekin school children.

"I wanted to capture the moment when it all seems worthwhile. The time to forget about the essays, the research, the hours and hours spent studying late into (and sometimes through) the night. You've done it, so celebrate - throw your hat high."