COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST and former Radio 1Xtra presenter Reece Parkinson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Media and Communications by the University of East London (UEL) thios week.
He received the award from UEL’s Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Amanda Broderick, at a ceremony at the University’s Dockland’s campus.
It comes just eight years after Parkinson graduated from UEL with an undergraduate degree in media and communications.
During the ceremony on Thursday, he was praised for being an inspiration, especially for his work raising awareness about Type 1 diabetes.
He was himself diagnosed with the disease while making a BBC documentary on ultrarunning, going on to complete a 50-mile run to prove he would not be defined by the condition.
Parkinson said: “I am humbled and deeply gratefully to the University of East London for honouring me with this degree.
“The whole world opened up to me at UEL, and I am so grateful to everyone.”
Commenting on his life before his time at UEL and reflecting on his subsequent success, Reece said, “If I wanted to be someone, I knew I had to change my relationship with fear. I started going to acting classes as I knew I had to break through that fear.
“In the creative industries we are all in, it is scary to be in front of a camera, on the radio or on stage, but you have to take every opportunity to break through that, using compounding and fear-breaking techniques to get you there.”
Parkinson still maintains a close relationship with UEL, helping out at open days, supporting the development of courses in the media department, and he has frequently given talks to the University’s journalism, media and communication students.
His media and broadcasting journey began at the University, with Parkinson finding the University’s Docklands campus a place where he could begin to make vital connections and develop new skills.
“I thrived amidst a diverse community of students from around the world, and that diversity taught me how to speak to people from a range of cultures – an enormous help for any broadcaster starting out.” he enthused.
“UEL was one of those universities that has just fascinating people from all walks of life, and that’s a great thing to be a part of. And UEL completely got my career vision, which was awesome.”
While at the University, Parkinson broadcast on community radio and ran his own highly successful YouTube channel, which led to an internship at the BBC.
After just two years working behind the scenes, he was an on-air presenter, hosting the Sunday evening show “1Xtra Talks” – the station’s flagship news and current affairs programme – before becoming 1Xtra’s weekday drive-time presenter.
Now after seven years at the BBC, Parkinson has moved into an exciting new role, working for the pioneering biopharmaceutical company Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
As International External Communications Senior Manager, he supports the company’s communications work, with the goal of creating transformative medicines for people with serious diseases.
He has often spoken of his interest in innovation, in a wide range of spheres, and the need for young people to use their creativity, and their curiosity, to improve the world.
And giving advice to graduates at the ceremony today, he commented: “Go where things are moving.
“Don’t go into something that’s on the decline. Go and work in an industry that is going to disrupt the current and the status quo, preferably for the better. Use your creativity in those areas for maximum growth in yourself and for the world.”
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Big up to my former uni UEL and to Reece too! Great report as always JC!