Forth Valley College’s Student of the Year award for 2024 has gone to Murray Hill from Dunblane.
Murray (27), who graduated with a HND Computer Aided Architectural Design and Technology and also won Most Inspirational Student in the Department of STEM and Construction (sponsored by Forth Valley College), was a worthy winner of the Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce sponsored top award, having achieved his qualification despite having to contend with range of conditions.
He is now looking forward to studying for a degree in Architectural Technology at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.
More than 850 students were eligible to graduate this year from Forth Valley College and 246 of them chose to collect their scrolls at three ceremonies, which were held at the College’s Falkirk Campus headquarters for the second time on Friday 11 October.
Guest speaker at the morning ceremony from 10-11.15am was author and expert in leadership Dr Eve Poole OBE, while at the 1pm-2.15pm event tourist industry spokesman and commercially focused business leader Marc Crothall MBE gave the keynote speech, and at the final ceremony from 4pm-5.15pm former policeman turned equality, diversity and inclusion consultant who works across public, private and 3rd and 4th sector Robin Iffla MBE, spoke to the assembled graduates and guests.
Abhishek Agarwal, new Chair of the Forth Valley Board of Management gave the Vote of Thanks at all three ceremonies.
Also at the graduation, former FVC Principal Professor Ken Thomson, former FVC Head of Department Jacqui McArthur and former FV Board of Management member Ken Richardson were all awarded Fellowships of the College.
The Alloa Bowmar Pipe Band were on hand to lead in the top tables and stage parties at all three ceremonies.
Inspirational Murray, who has had to manage several conditions including ADHD, autism, dyslexia and his general mental health, during his studies, is now studying Architecture at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.
He said: “It was a real surprise and a shock to win Student of the Year, but it is an amazing feeling. I was holding back the tears when I realised I had won and I was so happy that my mum and dad were here with me to see this. I have really loved the graduation event, it has been a really great experience.
“All my lecturers in the Construction Department put a lot of time into helping me during my time at Forth Valley College, and what they taught me is now paying off and so a lot of recognition must go to them too.”
Forth Valley College Principal Kenny MacInnes, said: “Murray is a very worthy winner of this year’s Student of the Year award. He deserves to be recognised as an inspiration, having faced down so many personal challenges and barriers to complete his qualification and put himself on the path to a great career.
“We are all very proud of what he has achieved and he should be very proud of himself too. We all wish Murray well in his studies at university and we will be watching his progress with interest. We are sure he will have a very successful career in architecture ahead.”
General photography on the day was provided by HND Photography student Marcus Swanston and Sound Production and Media and Communication students helped with audio visual services.