Professor Sue Black has said she “couldn’t be more proud” after sharing the stage with her daughter at the latest Dundee Uni graduations.
It just so happened that she was scheduled in to appear at the same ceremony as her daughter, Grace, which meant she was closer to the action than most parents.
Grace, 21, collected her Nursing degree from Professor Black, who herself last week received her damehood from HM The Queen at Buckingham Palace.
But she spoke with booming pride at seeing her daughter achieve something she’d dreamt of since childhood.
“It was a hugely important day for Grace and her father and I couldn’t be more proud of her and for her,” said Professor Black.
“Of course we are biased but I think if anyone deserves to graduate as a nurse it is Grace.
“Quite simply she was born to pursue that vocation and is the type of person you would want looking after you when you are ill.
“Aside from her nursing capabilities, she will really care for you and she is sufficiently mouthy to stand up for you and fight your corner when you are perhaps least able.
“She’s been able to to do what she’s always wanted since the age of 12 and she will great nurse and a tremendous ambassador for Dundee.”
Grace, who has landed a job as an orthopaedic trauma nurse in Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital, won a Nuffield Scholarship before being accepted onto the course, which helped the University’s nursing research programmes.
On her decision to become a nurse, Grace said her negative personal experiences of hospital staff were a huge influence.
“I was visiting my granny in hospital and one of the nurses came in to see her,” she recalled.
“She just did what needed to be done and left without a word.
“She didn’t make it seem like she wanted to be there or to help at all and I just thought ‘Is that it? That’s not right. I could do better than that’.
“My granny was terminally ill and I knew that, but it seemed as if the nurse just didn’t care.
“All I want to do is make people feel a little bit better every day.”
Around 1000 other gleeful students graduated as part of the winter ceremonies at the Uni last week.
