Figure skating student glides to success with first class honours degree

Published On Thu 22 Jun 2017 by Cara Longmuir

Michelle Callison will graduate this week from the University of Dundee after four years of juggling her studies with her figure skating career.

The 23-year-old Sports Biomedicine student will collect her first class honours degree on Thursday, 22^nd June, despite skating taking up much of her time.

She said, “It’s been a lot of early mornings. When my flatmates were coming home from nights out, I was going out to training.  I haven’t had your normal student life.

“Exams also always clash with major competitions. Last year I came out of my last exam, went into a car and drove to Sheffield to compete. I was in the back of the car writing one of my final submissions at the same time.”

She started skating when she was 12 years old and even took home a silver medal at the 2014 British Figure Skating Championships. “Although I got the grades to do medicine, I took a year out to skate.” said Michelle. “I was going to go back and do medicine, but I decided to do a course that wasn’t as hectic. It turned out I was wrong because Sports Biomedicine has been pretty challenging.”

Michelle says her lecturers in the School of Life Sciences have backed her all the way and helped to accommodate her sport around her timetable.

She said, “I really would have struggled to keep skating if it wasn't for their cooperation. My lecturers were always very supportive when it came to deadlines and workload and I always felt I could approach them if I had any problems.”

Michelle is also this year’s winner of the Sports Biomedicine Honours Prize which is awarded to the best final year student from the course.

The work is not going to stop for Michelle any time soon. She is now on her way to becoming a doctor and has been accepted to the University’s School of Medicine. She will start her new five year course in September and is not planning on hanging up her ice skates any time soon.

The University’s Summer Graduation ceremonies take place in the Caird Hall in Dundee from Wednesday, 21st June to Friday, 23th June. Morning and afternoon ceremonies will take place each day as almost 3000 graduates from around the world receive their degrees.

For media enquiries contact:
Cara Longmuir
Media Relations Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 385243
Email: c.z.longmuir@dundee.ac.uk