Leven mum wins Evening Student of the Year award

Laura Paterson, from Leven, received the gong from the University of St Andrews Evening Programme. The 41-year-old began studying with the university in 2013 and will graduate on July 27 with a BSc General Science with Distinction after an extraordinary academic journey.

After struggling with dyslexia at school, Laura first attended university at the age of 18 but decided to leave after becoming pregnant.

Determined to continue with her learning, she left home at 5.30 am every morning with her young baby to travel two hours to a women’s technology centre in Dunfermline. She gained qualifications and work experience and went on to college before securing a full-time local authority job.

Following the death of her father, Laura was encouraged by a work colleague, who was doing the evening degree at St Andrews, to apply to the programme.

Laura said: “I haven’t looked back since. It has been an amazing experience, but I cannot lie it has also been tough. I was doing a degree and progressing in my career while working full-time.

“Furthermore, I am married and a mother to three children, as well as a full-time carer for my elderly mother who has dementia. I have certainly learned good project management skills in juggling everything. That said, yes it was tough, but it was also such an amazing learning journey for me.

“Having been awarded the Fife Provost Prize for the most outstanding Evening Degree Student 2020 as well as graduating with distinction means everything to me.”

The university is taking bookings for the new programme and a virtual open day is being held tomorrow (Saturday). Full details can be found at – www.st-andrews.ac.uk.