One of the UK’s top TV journalists told University of Huddersfield students planning on entering her profession: “Go for it! You won’t regret it.”
Nina Hossain – born and educated in Huddersfield – was presented with an honorary doctorate by her hometown university.
The award recognised her achievements in 20 years in journalism. In a decade at ITN she has reported live on some of the biggest events including the July 7 London bombings, the 2012 Olympics and a Royal Wedding.
Nina presents the flagship News at Ten news programme and for 15 years has been the face of the evening news in the capital, first with BBC London and now with ITV News London.
Nina, who attended Newsome High School and Greenhead College in Huddersfield, received the honorary doctorate at a ceremony that also saw dozens of journalism and broadcasting students receive their degrees.
She told them journalism was a “brilliant career” with never a dull day and added: “If you have just a percentage of the luck that I have had, then you will have a brilliant time.
“Journalists interview ordinary people, film stars and prime ministers at the worst times and the best times of their lives. It is a privileged position to be on the front seat of history.”
Nina, who has three children Nate, Will and Clara, received her award just 24 hours after the Duke of York was presented with an honorary doctorate and replaced Sir Patrick Stewart as Chancellor of the university.
In a speech Nina urged new graduates never to forget the time they had spent in “this great town and this great university.”
Nina received her doctorate from vice-chancellor Prof Bob Cryan and was introduced by journalism lecturer Deirdre O’Neill.
Ms O’Neill outlined what she described as the “forgotten history” of women in journalism.
More women than men graduated in the subject but only a small percentage of senior jobs in journalism were occupied by women.
Therefore it was vital that the University of Huddersfield recognised the achievements and the professionalism of women such as Nina Hossain, she said.
Nina now lives in Nottinghamshire but her mum and sister still live in Huddersfield.
