From education to employment

Honorary degrees awarded at the University of Bristol – Tuesday 23 July 2019

Sam Smith is currently the only female chief executive of a city broking firm, finnCap, which she established in 2007. She graduated from the University of Bristol in 1995, where she studied Economics and Accounting before going on to qualify as a chartered accountant with KPMG. Outside her duties as CEO, Sam is involved in various mentoring projects and organisations including PinkyLilani’s Women of the Future awards, and the Modern Muse project, which aims to encourage the entrepreneurial ambitions of girls throughout the UK. Sam also helps support the Stepping into Business programme, which teaches primary school children to cultivate their skills in everything from pitching to business planning. Today she will return to her former institution to receive an honorary Doctor of Laws .

Dr C Cindy Fan is internationally known for her research on migration, regional development and gender in China. She is Professor of Geography at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was also the first woman and Asian to be appointed Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she studied for her PhD at the Ohio State University. Her book ‘China on the Move’ is a pioneering study on rural-urban migration in China. Dr Fan frequently contributes to media discussions, has given keynotes in five continents, and has received numerous rewards, including the American Council on Education Fellowship and UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Today her achievements will be celebrated with an honorary Doctor of Laws .


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