Ballymena Academy prizegiving is a family affair for guest of honour Professor Martin

Professor Lorraine Martin, the Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Enterprise & Innovation) at Queen's University Belfast has spoken of her pride on returning to deliver the speech at the prizegiving ceremony for pupils at her former school, Ballymena Academy.

She was accompanied by her father, another former pupil, Shaun Martin, the former principal of Ballee Primary School - and even got to hand out an award to her niece, Rebecca Kelly.

Professor Martin said: "For my family Ballymena Academy is more than just a school, it has been part of our story across three generations stretching back 80 years to 1946 when my father, who is here with me, started in the Prep Department. Since then, there have been very few years when a Martin hasn’t been connected to the school. My aunt, uncle, sister, my two brothers and I all attended here as well as my two sons and a nephew. My niece and another nephew are pupils and my father is still on the rota for pick ups! And I can admit to a very proud auntie moment when just a few minutes ago I awarded my niece her prize.

"Although many things have changed since I was a pupil here, the things that matter most have not changed. Character still matters. Hard work still matters. Kindness still matters. And the willingness to keep going when things do not go to plan matters more than ever. When I think back to my own school days, I remember the friendships made and the fun had after school as a member of the Christian Union, choir and various sporting teams.

"A highlight was singing Handel's Hallelujah Chorus as part of Mr Black’s choir which was so large it barely fit on the stage. In 5th form I won the Soroptimist Cup for Home Economics. At the time I did not realise that those studies would prove to be excellent preparation for life. In year 14, I became a prefect and was proud of that responsibility because leadership is not about having a badge or a title. Rather it is about service and helping others succeed - a lesson which has remained with me throughout my career. I was absolutely convinced I was going to study Medicine. I knew where I was going. I knew what career I wanted. I knew exactly how everything would work out.

"Which as anyone over the age of 18 knows, is generally the moment life starts making alternative arrangements. I was part of the last generation to sit the old A-level examinations, where two years of work were assessed in one final examination period. Looking back, I probably underestimated just how much revision was required to get the straight As needed. And I missed the grades by one point. For a teenager who had a very clear picture of the future, it felt devastating. But looking back, it wasn't the end of the story.

"It was simply the end of Plan A. Looking back now I probably should have given more thought to repeating but in a rush to get on with life I went through clearing and faced a choice between Pharmacy and Biochemistry. I chose Biochemistry and it led me to Queen's University Belfast, where I met the person who would become my husband, and then went onto study for a Master's followed by a PhD. It led to research. It led to teaching. It led to discovery. It led to opportunities I never could have imagined.

"Do not confuse a setback with a destination. Sometimes the path you did not choose becomes the most important journey of your life. I often joke that I went to Queen’s at 18 and never left as after my PhD I stayed on and became involved in research into respiratory disease. I then became a lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and since then have had the privilege of teaching thousands of students. One of the greatest joys of teaching is seeing people discover strengths they did not realise they possessed, as I have always believed that education should not simply test what students can remember. Rather it should challenge them to think, create and solve problems. At the Queen’s Teaching Awards event, it was great to see staff acknowledged for the innovative approaches to teaching and assessment that have been developed, including novel practical assessments that mirror real-world challenges rather than simply relying on traditional examinations.

“Education is changing. The world is changing. And your generation will need to adapt in ways that previous generations never imagined. Queen's is now home to more than 25,000 students from over 85 countries around the world and our researchers are helping to tackle challenges from cancer and chronic disease through to cybersecurity, AI, climate resilience and advanced manufacturing. And perhaps most importantly for many of the students sitting here, there are far more pathways to study than ever before.

"A few years ago, I stepped outside of my own comfort zone when I became involved in entrepreneurship and commercialisation and co-founded ProAxsis, a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative diagnostic tools and took on the role of CEO alongside my academic work. I quickly discovered that starting a company requires a completely different mindset from teaching and research.

“At times it felt uncomfortable. At times it felt risky. At times I was convinced somebody had overestimated my capabilities. But here's something I have learned. You rarely discover what you are capable of while remaining comfortable. Whether it was becoming a company founder, leading major multi-million cross-border research programmes, or taking on my current role as Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Innovation, every major opportunity arrived disguised as something that initially felt uncomfortable.

"Currently, my role includes supporting student entrepreneurship, helping researchers turn discoveries into real-world impact, working with businesses, and helping create opportunities for economic growth across Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland has extraordinary talent. What we need is to make sure that talent has every opportunity to flourish. It then comes down to a very simple question: How can we create opportunities for people to thrive here?

"Regional investments in world-class innovation centres focussed on advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and health innovation are helping to create the industries and careers that many current students may one day lead. At Queen's we see this every day. Our students are creating businesses, developing new technologies and tackling some of society's biggest challenges.

"Students today can combine disciplines in ways that simply weren't possible when I was at school. A student interested in medicine might also use artificial intelligence. A student studying engineering might become an entrepreneur. A student interested in music might build a technology company. The boundaries between subjects are disappearing. Curiosity is becoming more important than specialisation.

"Every generation has had a technological revolution. My parents grew up with the radio before they had televisions. I was a teenager before we had our first home computer – just in time for me to writeup my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Expedition and A-level Biology project. I had finished my PhD and had just started my research post when the internet and email first became available.

"Students are growing up with AI. However, education remains one of the most powerful forces for transforming lives. It opens doors that might otherwise remain closed, broadens our horizons, challenges our assumptions and helps us discover talents we may never have known we possessed. In a world changing at an extraordinary pace, where technologies such as AI are reshaping how we live and work, the value of education is not diminishing, it is increasing. The knowledge you gain is important, but even more important are the habits of mind you develop: curiosity, critical thinking, resilience, creativity and a willingness to keep learning.

"Looking back, my career path was certainly not straightforward. I was not the person who achieved every goal perfectly. I did not become the doctor I thought I would. Instead, I became a scientist. A teacher. A researcher. A business founder. A university leader. And I have been privileged to help others achieve things they once thought impossible.

"So, I did not have a perfect plan instead, I simply kept saying yes to opportunities, learned from setbacks, and discovered new capabilities along the way. It is also true that none of those things happened because of me alone. One thing I have learned over the years is that while we often celebrate individual success, very few achievements are genuinely individual. When we stand on stages like this, people see the prize, the degree, the promotion or the title. What they don't always see are the people standing quietly behind the scenes who helped make it possible.

"My parents were a constant source of encouragement throughout my life. I am grateful for the kind invitation extended by the school to bring a guest which avoided my father trying to slip in at the back! When my own children were young and I was trying to balance family life, research, teaching, a company and other leadership roles, I was incredibly fortunate to have my husband, parents , sister and wider family who provided practical support, encouragement and often some much-needed childcare.

"To the teachers and staff of Ballymena Academy, thank you for continuing the work that has shaped generations of young people. And to every student: "Do not be afraid of ambition. Do not be discouraged by disappointment. Do not be constrained by what you think you can do today. You will be capable of far more than you realise. The future will belong to people who are curious enough to learn, courageous enough to adapt, and determined enough to keep going when things don't go according to plan. I wish each of you every success as you write the next chapter of your story."