We are delighted to pass on news of three alumnae who have received official recognition for their work in recent weeks.
The Lady Juliet Margaret Townsend (Smith, 1960, English), LVO, outgoing Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, has been appointed a Dame Commander of the Victorian Order. The Royal Victorian Order was founded in April 1896 by Queen Victoria as a way of rewarding personal service to her. Recipients are selected by the monarch.
In March she told the Northampton Chronicle that the position had given her a positive view of life because “I’m always surrounded by saints”.
“Northamptonshire has a strong volunteering base and all the people who devote their lives to doing things for the community, and the people doing all sorts of obscure niche things, are the salt of the earth,” she said. “Learning from them has enriched my life.”
Learned mentions
Dr Judith McClure CBE (1970, History) will shortly receive an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University. Dr McClure is the Convener of the Scotland China Education Network at the Scottish Parliament and the Secretary of the Cross Party Group on China, also at the Scottish Parliament.
Meanwhile, Kate Davies (1978, DPhil), Core Faculty in Graduate Programs in Leadership & Change at Antioch University, Seattle, was commended for her book The Rise of the US Environmental Health Movement. The book, which was featured in the 2014 College Report, has recently been selected as one of the top ten books on sustainability by Booklist, the reviews arm of the American Library Association.