Graduate gains Law degree against all odds

Published On Thu 21 Jun 2018 by Dominic Younger

Katherine Wade will graduate with first-class honours from the University of Dundee this week after overcoming years of adversity, which threatened her dream of studying Law.

Katherine always dreamed of being a lawyer, but when she was 13 years-old she was diagnosed with severe epilepsy and had to take a year out of school until her doctors were able to find the right medication to stabilise her condition.

Less than a year later she was also diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Already suffering, Katherine’s life was once again thrown into turmoil as her father passed away when she was 15 years-old.

She said, “It wasn’t the best three years, everything was shaky and my results suffered. The advice I received at the time was to lower my expectations, maybe try something else, but both of my parents were lawyers and I had grown up working out legal problems with them.

“Even my mum was apprehensive about me coming to Dundee because of how tough it is to get into Law but I never wanted to do anything else and I’m so glad I went through with it.”

Throughout her studies, Katherine had her fair share of health scares but it was, she says, the University staff that really helped her feel safe and protected.

She explained, “Trying to balance my studies with my epilepsy and diabetes wasn’t easy, but the support I received from my tutors and the Disability Services team was so helpful. They made it easier for me to explore what worked for me.”

“You get the attention you need at the University of Dundee. My lecturers, in particular, have been so invaluable in helping me throughout my time here.”

Katherine will collect her degree in English and Scots Law on Thursday, 21 June before progressing to her graduate diploma with Clyde and Co LLP in Glasgow.

The University’s Summer Graduation ceremonies take place in the Caird Hall in Dundee from Wednesday, 20 June to Friday, 22 June. Morning and afternoon ceremonies will take place each day as almost 3,000 graduates from around the world receive their degrees.

For media enquiries contact:
Dominic Glasgow
Media Relations Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 385131
Email: d.w.glasgow@dundee.ac.uk