FORMER Olympic athlete Kriss Akabusi was in Huddersfield to congratulate youngsters who attended a summer school at the university.
Thirty young people from the town's African-Caribbean community took part in the four-day event, run by the university.
The summer school gave them a taste of academic and social events at the university.
It included a chance to go to lectures and seminars and study in laboratories and workshops.
Kriss, an Olympic bronze medal hurdler and now a TV presenter, handed certificates to the youngsters at a presentation evening attended by parents, university staff and Kirklees Deputy Mayor Clr Margaret Fearnley.
Senior lecturer Michelle Bartholomew said people from the African-Caribbean community were under-represented in higher education.
She added: "The aim was to dispel many of the myths associated with university life and remove some of the barriers, such as poor self-esteem and lack of confidence.
"It also aimed to raise the aspirations of young people who are capable of achieving the entry requirements."