Two parasitic disease experts from South Africa have travelled more than 14,000 kilometres (8,500 miles) to join their daughter’s celebration at the University of Cumbria’s summer 2023 graduations.

Donning formal robes, biochemists Dr Dean Goldring and Professor Theresa Coetzer joined the academic procession of the opening ceremony taking place at Carlisle Cathedral to watch their daughter Opal who graduated this week with a first-class honours degree.

Opal has successfully completed a BSc (Hons) Outdoor Leadership delivered by the university’s Institute of Science and Environment.

The university’s Ambleside campus has been the perfect location for Opal, who is now working for the Outward Bound Trust (UK).

Adventures in Ambleside 

A keen hiker and Scout growing up in South Africa, Opal was inspired to follow her dream of embarking on an outdoor course after reading ‘Mind of a Survivor: What the wild has taught me about survival and success’, a book written by survival expert and University of Cumbria alumnus Megan Hine.

With her father, Opal searched the internet for universities offering an ‘outdoor’ qualification and, in her father’s words’, the University of Cumbria Ambleside campus ‘ticked all the boxes’. 

Sharing adventurous genes, the family has enjoyed a range of memorable experiences and trips. 

Every year they watch the sunrise and sunset on the South African winter and summer solstices.

In 2022, whilst in Cumbria studying, Opal ‘joined’ her parents by hiking Helvellyn on the shortest day in South Africa (longest day in England) and sending them pictures from the top.

As well as hiking extensively in South Africa’s Drakensberg mountains, Opal has completed several long-distance routes in the UK including the Cumbria and Hebridean Ways.

She has also hiked solo for eight days to complete the 240 kilometres (147 miles) from Inverness to John O Groats.

Dr Goldring said: “Opal was always passionate about Scouts and scouting activities outdoors. After her Matric, the highest school qualification in South Africa, Opal spent a year as a volunteer at Scout Adventures in Oxford.

“She followed this with year as an Instructor which coincided with the Covid19 pandemic and so she lost out on a lot of experience. Then her adventure in Ambleside at the University of Cumbria began.

“Thanks to her University of Cumbria qualification Opal has obtained her dream position with the Outward Bound Trust.

“This is a lovely opportunity for our family to savour the beauty of the Lake District together and see where Opal has spent three very happy years.

“We’ve been looking forward to meeting her friends and celebrating all their achievements on this special occasion.”

He added: “As academics we thoroughly enjoyed celebrating the achievements of our students who we taught and who we have supervised, at their graduation ceremonies.

“It has been very special and an honour to participate in this unique and distinguished occasion celebrating Opal’s graduation.”