University honours Lioness alumna Mead

8 hours ago

News image — Beth Mead received an honorary degree from Teesside University from where she graduated a decade ago

Teesside University Beth Mead is wearing a black graduation cap and a red, black and white graduation gown. She has long blonde and brown hair and is looking off into the distance with a slight smile on her face. She is standing in front of a row of gowns and a mirror which is showing her reflection from behind. — Beth Mead received an honorary degree from Teesside University from where she graduated a decade ago

Lioness Beth Mead has been handed an honorary degree by her former university which described her as a "true role model" for her work to champion women's sport.

Mead, from Hinderwell near Whitby, was made an Honorary Doctor of Science by Teesside University.

Following her graduation in 2016, she went on to be part of the England team that won two European Championships and started a scholarship in her name with the university to help aspiring female footballers study while playing.

She said the recognition was "quite surreal" but she was "very proud and honoured".

Mead graduated from Teesside University with a BA (hons) sports development and later partnered with the institution to create the Beth Mead Scholarship.

PA Media England's Beth Mead celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during a UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Group A match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Her long, blonde hair is tied back in a ponytail and she is wearing a white kit with the number seven on it. — Beth Mead helped the Lionesses to Euros victory twice

She said the university had supported her "amazingly" in the final year of her degree when she became professional with Sunderland.

"To be able to help support young girls wanting to be the next 'Beth Mead' or Lionesses, to be able to help in any capacity, I felt very lucky to be able to do that," she said.

PA Media Beth Mead poses with The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award alongside presenters Alex Scott, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Gary Lineker during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards 2022. Mead, in the middle, has long blonde hair and is wearing a grey blazer. She is holding the large silver trophy, which is in the shape of a film camera, at waist-height. — She also won a BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

Mead was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2022, becoming the first female footballer to receive the award, and was also made MBE for services to sport.

Vice-chancellor and chief executive of Teesside University Prof Paul Croney said Mead was a "inspiration to young girls and women in the whole field of sport and football".

"She really is a testament to students that you can study and go on to achieve great things."