Sports stars Steph Houghton MBE and Jack Maitland are among those to have been recognised with honorary degrees by the University of Leeds.
Writer and theatre maker Khadijah Ibrahiim and Baroness Judith Blake, the first female leader of Leeds City Council, also received honorary degrees at graduation ceremonies in the University’s Grade II-listed Great Hall.
Baroness Judith Blake CBE - Doctor of Laws
Leeds-born Baroness Blake was the first female leader of Leeds City Council, holding the position between 2015-2021.
Her tenure was marked by her commitment to improving the lives of residents and addressing social inequalities.
She championed devolution for West Yorkshire and helped unlock billions of pounds in investment for the area after the county secured its own Mayor.
Baroness Blake’s passion for championing issues relating to housing, communities and local government has continued as a member of the House of Lords, where she has sat since 2021.
She said: “It was an incredible privilege to become council leader of the city where I was born and grew up. Although I moved away to go to university, I came back to Leeds as fast as I could - Leeds is in my DNA, it's in my heart.
“Being involved in politics has enabled me to represent the different communities and work with and for the people of the city.
“It’s the people of Leeds who make it the wonderful place that it is. There's a fierce pride here that's reflected in so many ways, not least in the sports and arts sectors that are absolutely fundamental to the whole character of the city.”
Steph Houghton MBE – Doctor of Laws
As well as earning more than 100 caps for England and captaining the national football team, Steph Houghton is Manchester City’s record appearance holder.
She won eight major trophies with the club, including four Continental Cups, three Women’s FA Cups, and the FA Women’s Super League (WSL) title. Before joining City, she secured two WSL titles and five domestic cup victories at Arsenal.
Off the pitch, Steph is a trailblazer for women in sport, promoting teamwork, inclusivity and support. She is also a leading advocate for those with motor neurone disease (MND) after her husband, former professional footballer Stephen Darby, was diagnosed with MND in 2018.
She said: “Honorary degrees and the Freedom of Sunderland are things that you never ever dream of having.
“It was one of my aims when I retire to still have an impact in some way. I’ve always been a spokesperson but also, I’m not afraid to challenge and to make sure that our game is at the highest possible standard it can be.
“The biggest effect that I’ve probably had is in the changing room of women’s football and this is one of my career highlights. There are so many women now that have the opportunity to have an influence on the game.”
Khadijah Ibrahiim – Doctor of Letters
Literary activist, theatre maker and University of Leeds alumna Khadijah Ibrahiim is one of Yorkshire’s most prolific poets.
Khadijah, who was born in Leeds, is the founder and artistic director of Leeds Young Authors, an organisation providing creative writing workshops that benefit young people, particularly in under-represented communities.
Her work, which often explores themes of identity, heritage and social justice, has been published widely and Khadijah has performed across the world.
In 2011, Khadijah was recognised with the Leeds Black Award for outstanding contribution to the arts and she received the Leeds Legacy Award in 2020 for international impact. She has also been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
“I come from a deprived community where you don’t hear of many people getting honorary degrees. I have had a lot of questions but also celebrations,” she said.
She recalls seeing the University’s distinctive Parkinson Steps when growing up in Leeds. “I always admired those white steps and said I wanted to be in that building.
“There is something that pulls me back to this city. There are many great artists here that have created work that stands out.”
Her advice to this year’s graduates is to “stay humble and be bold” and “be unafraid to change the world”.
Jack Maitland – Doctor of Laws
Jack has coached and developed athletes – students among them – over a 25-year-period but is best known for his role as Head Coach at Leeds Triathlon Centre, where he helped some of its athletes become household names.
He has trained Olympic medal winners and World Champions including Alistair Brownlee, Jonny Brownlee, Jess Learmonth, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Non Stanford, Vicky Holland and Beth Potter. His prominence in the field of sport is recognised across the world.
Jack, who studied for a PGCE at Leeds, has twice been a winner of the prestigious Mussabini medal for services to British sport and is a member of the Sports Coach UK Hall of Fame.
He said: “Leeds has always felt like an ideal place for triathlon to flourish. All the constituent sports were well-embedded in the city, and it wasn’t just the natural environment and facilities – it was the people as well.”
Jack highlighted the value of combining training with academic study. He said: “The University allows those two things to work hand-in-hand by providing a lot of coaching and facilities. Not everybody makes it as a professional triathlete, so if you’ve already got a qualification you’re in a much stronger position.”
True commitment
Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Leeds, said: “All four recipients of honorary degrees for our summer celebrations have shown true commitment to pursuing their chosen career paths, and use their platforms to make a difference.
“They embody the values our University stands for – collaboration, compassion, inclusivity and integrity. We hope all of our graduates take these values into the world as they embark on the next phase of their lives.”
Further information
Read about previous Honorary Graduands at the University of Leeds.
For further information, please contact the University of Leeds press office at pressoffice@leeds.ac.uk.