University recognition for three proud Lancastrians

A national TV journalist, a former England women’s footballer and the first female UK Ambassador to the United States of America have all received Honorary Fellowships from the University of Lancashire.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who has been a major part of Channel 4 News for nearly three decades, retired goalkeeper and now football broadcaster Rachel Brown-Finnis, and Diplomat Dame Karen Pierce, who was born and raised in Preston, accepted the academic awards during this week’s graduation ceremonies.

Raised and schooled in nearby Blackburn, Krishnan’s long and distinguished career has seen him cover some of the world’s largest conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Gaza Strip and Ukraine.

In his early career he presented the iconic BBC children’s programme Newsround, and he was a launch presenter on the BBC’s News 24 Channel before he joined Channel 4 News in 1998.

Krishnan said: “It’s lovely to be recognised by an academic institution and it’s great to come and celebrate with a bunch of young people who have obviously worked incredibly hard.

“The biggest advice I can give the graduates is to be very resilient, it’s a lot different nowadays to when my generation was leaving university but don’t give up too soon, hang on in there and you will find your place.”

Burnley-born Rachel Brown-Finnis, pictured below, represented her country at four European Championships and two Women’s World Cups, making a total of 82 appearances. She was also part of the Team GB squad for the London 2012 Olympics.

After retiring a decade ago, Rachel transitioned into the media and is now a leading pundit and co-commentator across the men’s and women's game.

She said: “It’s unbelievably humbling, this is a tremendous honour, and I am very grateful. This Fellowship feels like a celebration of possibility, of what can happen when passion meets perseverance.

“The advice I’d offer to any of the graduates is for them to beat their own drum, make their own pathway.

"They have been sparked at some point and have found something they absolutely love doing, that they’re passionate about and try to create a pathway where that can become a career because that is something they’ll get up for every single day, they’ll want to strive to be better and they’ll work harder.”

Foreign and Commonwealth Office postings have taken Dame Karen Pierce, who attended Penwortham Girls’ Grammar School, around the world for more than 40 years.

Karen, pictured below, has worked in Japan, Ukraine and the Balkans, and spent a year living in Afghanistan as British Ambassador. She was Britain’s first female Ambassador to the United States of America and the first woman to become the UK’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

She was appointed as the UK’s Special Envoy to the Western Balkans earlier this year.

 Karen, who was recognised for her loyal commitment and eminent contribution towards the United Kingdom’s diplomatic service, said: “It’s a huge honour and a privilege and it was just wonderful to be here with so many of the graduates.

“I think there's something very important about not letting failure drag you down and I think it's a great lesson for the graduates. There's a glass ceiling but somebody has to be first through it and it should be, and it can be, the graduates so don't let that put them off.”