An Aberdeenshire music graduate has become the first in his family to receive a degree – proudly watched on by his parents.
Thomas Michie, 22, from Turriff graduated with a first-class honours degree in Music yesterday after winning the Margaret Carlaw scholarship in his first year of the course.
Also gaining an honorary degree herself, Mrs Carlaw said it had been a “great honour” to have seen all her pupils progress from first year through to graduation.
Mr Michie now plans to return to complete a Masters degree in musicology and possibly follow on to complete a PhD, before continuing into teaching.
He said: “I play the piano, but only really took it up half-way through secondary school.”
Mr Michie’s parents, John and Jennifer, looked on and commented on their son’s musical talents.
Mrs Michie added: “We are not really sure where he gets it from; no-one else in the family is musical. We are extremely proud of him – he has put in so much work over the years.”
Her son is about to perform in a musical in Inverness, called American Idiot, a story based around a song by American band Green Day.
An Aberdeenshire Biochemistry student faced a shock diagnosis of a serious heart condition part-way through her degree which she began in Glasgow.
Olivia Watt, 22, from Inverurie, battled through to achieve an Integrated Masters Degree in Biochemistry with Industrial Placement, but was forced to transfer to Aberdeen after being diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome.
Miss Watt explained the condition’s most common symptom was “sudden death”.
And she added: “Thankfully I have not had that symptom. But I have had a lot of seizures, fainting, dizziness – I’m supposed to avoid stress and I take medication to try and control it.”
Since discovering that she has the condition, one of Miss Watt’s sisters and her father have both also been diagnosed with the genetic syndrome.
Miss Watt explained the symptoms she suffered made her frequently feel exhausted, and making the move to Aberdeen University was “the best” choice because she often had to miss large chunks of study.
She said: “I managed to struggle my way through third year and secured an industrial placement at the European Screening Centre in Lanarkshire.
“Despite more periods of illness, and sometimes having to miss a week or more at a time, I gained a first class grade for this year. I’ve recently had more fainting and seizure episodes – it always takes me at least several weeks to recover from these.”
Miss Watt has secured a PhD in EASTBIO PhD in Human Nutrition at the Rowett Institute.
And she added: “That is very exciting. It was surprising as I know the programme is very competitive.”
Despite her travails, Miss Watt helps out with the Mitchell School of Drama and teaches several drama classes during the week.
And she is a committed volunteer at such events as the Aberdeen International Youth Festival.
