Dr Emma Camp, captain of our Basketball England National Cup-winning squad, will be so sorely missed by Essex Blades ladies basketball team that her number has been retired in honour of her contribution.

Dr Emma Camp

Emma said she “couldn’t have asked for a more exciting, memorable and emotional final game” when the team won by just one point in the final seconds of the game.

She said she’s thankful for the flexibility which allowed her to “help recruit players, build the ethos of the team and act as a role model for the younger players” whilst pursuing her research interests in the classroom.

She has continued playing since leaving Essex and has joined a Premier League team in Australia where she has just completed a 6-month Endeavour Fellowship at the University of Technology Sydney. She has been awarded a post-doctoral research position and plans to continue her research exploring coral reefs that live in extreme non-reef environments.

The doors to Graduation 2016 open on 12 July. 4,691 students will graduate, bringing the number of Essex graduates, since 1964, to more than 93,000.

Each and every one of our 2016 graduates has had a life-changing experience. They have risen to the challenge of developing a research mindset, they have been involved in clubs, societies and volunteering, and they have grasped opportunities.

We can’t tell all their stories but our Graduating 2016 student profiles shine a light on the individual experiences that make the Essex family inclusive, international and inspiring.