Goldsmiths honours Hope Powell CBE, Dennis Kelly, Gabriel Prokofiev, and Dorothy Cross

Distinguished figures from the worlds of sport, music, theatre, and art have been honoured as part of graduation celebrations at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Over 1300 Goldsmiths students attended the July graduation ceremonies on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 July where they got to celebrate their achievements with their friends and families.

Each year Goldsmiths also bestows Honorary Fellowships and Honorary Degrees on a small number of distinguished individuals in recognition of their achievements and contributions to the university, community, or wider world.

The following received Honorary Fellowships of Goldsmiths, University of London:

Hope Powell CBE

A former international footballer, Hope Powell CBE was the coach of the England women's national football team and the Great Britain women's Olympic football team.

Born in Lewisham, she played for Millwall Lionesses and won 66 caps playing for England, scoring 35 goals. In 1998 the FA appointed her England’s first ever full-time national coach and in 2003 she became the first woman to achieve the UEFA Pro Licence. She led the team at four UEFA Women's Championships and twice took England to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup and in 2009 reaching the European Championship final in Germany. She was awarded an OBE in 2002 and a CBE in 2010.

Gabriel Prokofiev

Composer, producer, and DJ Gabriel Prokofiev studied composition at both Birmingham and York universities. He then produced Electro, Hip-hop, and Grime, before returning to classical composition and founding the Nonclassical record label and club-night in 2004.

Over the last decade he has built up a large body of works including seven concertos, with both his Concerto for Turntables (2011) and first Violin Concerto (2014) performed at the BBC Proms, and more recently his Saxophone Concerto (2016) and the symphonic fantasy When the City Rules (2016). He frequently collaborates with contemporary dance with recent performances at Sadlers Wells and the Royal Opera House.

Dennis Kelly

Dennis Kelly is a writer for theatre, television, and film. He grew up in Barnet, north London, and after leaving school at 16 to work in a market he became interested in theatre. Aged 30, he graduated from Goldsmiths with a degree in Drama and Theatre Arts and went on to write plays such as Debris (2003), Osama the Hero (2005), Love and Money (2006), and Taking Care of Baby (2007).

He co-wrote Matilda the Musical (2010), which has won numerous awards including seven Olivier Awards and five Tony awards. He also co-wrote BBC Three's BAFTA-nominated sitcom Pulling and wrote Channel 4 thriller Utopia.

Dorothy Cross received an Honorary Degree of the University of London:

Dorothy Cross

Irish artist Dorothy Cross works in sculpture, photography, video and occasionally opera. One of her best-known works is Ghost Ship (1999) in which a disused light ship was illuminated through use of phosphorous paint and moored in Dublin Bay.

Her exhibitions include Ebb, at The Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin (1988), Bad Girls at the ICA London (1993), Parthenon at Camden Arts Centre, London (1992), and Even at Arnolfini, Bristol (1996). She represented Ireland at the 1993 Venice Biennale and has won a Pollock-Krasner Award. Her work is in the collections of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Ulster Museum, Belfast, and the Tate Modern, London, among others. She is represented by Frith Street gallery London and Kerlin Gallery Dublin.

This story has been updated. It was previously titled 'Goldsmiths to honour Hope Powell CBE, Gabriel Prokofiev, Dennis Kelly, and Dorothy Cross', published on 13 July 2017.