University features

The University of Sussex will award Toni Crews a posthumous honorary degree at this year’s Summer Graduation ceremonies, held at the Brighton Centre from 20–24 July, alongside influential figures from the arts and sciences and over 3,300 graduating students.

Toni died from a rare cancer in 2020 at the age of 30. Before her death, she chose to donate her body to science, consenting to public display and waiving her anonymity to help raise awareness of the disease.

Donated to the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Toni’s body helped educate almost 10,000 students through anatomy workshops. These sessions were also filmed for the Channel 4 documentary My Dead Body, which followed Professor Claire Smith and her team as they traced how Toni’s cancer had spread.

On Friday 24 July, Toni’s family will be welcomed on stage to receive an honorary degree on her behalf. Both Toni’s parents Jo and Jason understand how significant Toni’s contribution to research and education has been.

Toni’s mother Jo says: “Toni was already promoting cancer awareness through social media before she died. Leaving her body to science was her way of being able to do something, even when she wasn’t here. The experience of working with the Medical School team and the documentary makers, knowing that Toni’s story would reach millions, not only helped us with our grieving process, it was also a reminder that Toni didn’t die in vain.”

The University will also be awarding four honorary degrees to individuals who have made significant contributions to society and who are distinguished leaders in their profession. This year the University will also be honouring:

• Maria Balshaw CBE
  Maria Balshaw is a University of Sussex alumna who led the £15 million redevelopment of Manchester’s Whitworth Art Gallery, then soon after became Tate’s first female director, overseeing Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. Maria will receive an Honorary Doctorate on Tuesday 21 July.

• Adam Sisman
  Adam Sisman is a University of Sussex history graduate and award-winning biographer, who has published biographies about the spy novelist John le Carré, and historians Professor Hugh Trevor-Roper and, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex, Professor Asa Briggs. Adam will receive an Honorary Doctorate on Tuesday 21 July.

• Professor Deepak Nayyar
  Professor Deepak Nayyar, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi is a world-renowned Indian economist, and Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Institute of Development Studies. Deepak will receive an Honorary Doctorate on Monday 20 July.

• Mark Thomson
  Mark Thomson is a British experimental particle physicist who took up the role of CERN Director-General in January 2026. Mark will receive an Honorary Doctorate on Thursday 23 July.

Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex, Professor Sasha Roseneil, says: "Our Summer Graduation Week is one of the most important moments of the year at the University of Sussex, as we celebrate the achievement and dedication of our students and those who have made exceptional contributions to society.

“Among our honorary graduates this year, we recognise Toni Crews for her extraordinary gift to scientific learning. Through her incredible generosity and foresight, as she faced her own death, hundreds of students have gained invaluable leaning that will shape their future careers. We know that Toni, and indeed all of this year’s honorary graduates, will inspire our students as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.

“Congratulations to all those who are graduating this week. We wish the Sussex Class of 2026 every success and great happiness and fulfilment in the years ahead.”

Ceremonies taking place this week will see more than 3,300 students come together with over 12,000 family and friends to mark years of hard work and dedication to their studies.

Among those graduating is Tess Nowell.

Tess Nowell will receive her doctorate on Tuesday 21 July at the age of 70. After leaving school with two Grade E A-levels, she later earned a degree at what is now Anglia Ruskin University, built a career as a librarian while raising two sons, and completed an MA in Public History after retiring. Inspired to keep learning, she began a PhD at the University of Sussex in 2018.

During her doctorate, Tess faced significant personal challenges, including the loss of both parents, and just three weeks after successfully completing her degree, she suffered a stroke from which she is still recovering.

Tess says: “It’s about being a tortoise rather than a hare. I think my eventual academic success is due to persistence and trying different routes and approaches to reach a goal. Having a PhD project in my life gave me both purpose and distraction during difficult periods, and I’m very proud to have now completed my research project.  

“For now, I have a kitchen to renovate, and I am enjoying doing small things at home, though if the right course came along, I might be tempted back into education!”

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