University News Last updated 22 July
A BCU Alumnus who had to pull out of his graduation ceremony 10 years ago has finally crossed the stage this week during summer graduations.
Ed O’Driscoll, who completed an MA in Social Media in 2015, was unable to attend his graduation ceremony, after his father sadly passed away on the day that he was due to graduate from BCU.
He said: “In 2015, my father was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Sadly, the illness progressed very quickly. He was very interested in my decision to return to education as a mature student, and I remember we discussed the date of my graduation as he was hoping to attend.
“Sadly, the last few weeks of his life he had to be heavily sedated, but there has always been a part of me that believed he held on for as long as he did because he had my Graduation date in his head. He died the day I was supposed to attend.”
10 years on from the devastating time in Ed’s life, he has finally been able to celebrate his achievements at a graduation ceremony this week for students from Arts, Design and Media courses.
He said: “10 years on from that sad time, I think it’s a lovely tribute to his memory that I’ve finally been able to collect my award. I like to think he’d be proud.
“My study at BCU was something of a watershed moment in my professional career. The two years I spent studying social media gave me a range of transferable skills that have helped me enormously across a range of interests in my personal as well as my working life.
“To be able to graduate is an act of remembrance for my father but also a celebration of what I’ve achieved in subsequent years.”
In 2022, Ed suffered a heart attack and feels luckier than ever to be alive and celebrating the achievements he has had in his life to date.
He said: “I feel incredibly lucky this week; lucky to be alive, lucky to have had the opportunity to study at BCU, lucky to have my family with me and lucky to have been given the opportunity to graduate a decade later than I should have.”
After celebrating with his wife, Lynn, and mother, Josie, alongside fellow BCU graduates on the day, Ed went for a meal in Birmingham before heading home to Ross-on-Wye. Ed is Councillor for the town, so him and his colleagues also enjoyed a celebratory drink after an evening meeting.
Alongside his work as a Town and County Councillor in Herefordshire, Ed also runs an arts charity called ‘AIR in G – Arts’ in Rural Gloucestershire. He works with rural communities across the county, enabling them to host professional performances in their local village hall or community space.
It’s Ed’s fascinating career journey that led him back to BCU, and his studies helped him to embrace all things digital.
He said: “As a mature student, my career was longer than most. Before returning to higher education, I’d worked as a performer and theatre producer for many years, as well as an arts professional and local politician.
“I decided to go back to university as a refresher after finishing a tour of Shaun the Sheep. I worked with Aardman Animations and adapted it as a children’s ballet before touring the UK and Middle East in 2011-2012. The show took over my life for over two years and when it came to an end, I decided I needed a change.
“I’d always been interested in social media and chose to concentrate on the benefits of using it to crowdfund in the not-for-profit sector. As part of my MA, I worked with my old youth theatre ‘CYT’ in Wolverhampton and ran a crowdfunding campaign for them that raised around £60K towards a new base.
“My time at BCU really helped to update my digital skills base which has stood me in good stead ever since. The opportunity to be around young, energetic and inquisitive minds was a privilege and I truly value the time I spent in Birmingham.”
10 years on from completing his studies at BCU, Ed has many years of experience and advice to those who graduated alongside him this week.
He said: “Cast a wide net. Don’t be too rigid in where you hope to secure a career. Sometimes the most exciting opportunities arise from the least likely situations.
“The skills you have in one industry might be just as valuable, sometimes more, in another. So, be flexible.”