Fellowships presented to Rebecca Rowe and Simon Pirotte OBE
13/10/2025Our 2025 Bridgend College Fellowships were presented during our Higher Education Graduation Ceremonies held recently at our Pencoed Campus.
Multi-sport international world champion and Crew Manager at Mid and West Wales Fire Service, Rebecca Rowe, was honoured during the first ceremony of the day in recognition of her services to sport, public service and challenging gender stereotypes.
Rebecca began her career in sport as a swimmer, competing for Wales before going on to study Sport at Loughborough University. There, she became a competitive rower, rowing for Great Britain in 2005 and 2008 before going on to play for the Rugby World Cup Womenâs team in 2017, as well as three Six Nations Championships for Wales. She has also won two World Championships in Surf Life Saving and held the World, European and Commonwealth record for this event.
In 2017, Rebecca embarked on a new career, moving from her role as a PE teacher to be a firefighter, having had to retire from rugby through serious injury. This was the catalyst which ultimately led to Rebecca establishing herself as a powerful role model for female firefighters, who challenge stereotypes by pursuing new challenges and ambitious goals. In January 2024, Rebecca completed an expedition to the South Pole, walking 1230km, unguided and unsupported in temperatures as low as -50 degrees, pioneering a new route. The success of the âAntarctic Fire Angels Expeditionâ, as it is known, strengthened Rebeccaâs conviction that gender should never be an obstacle to pursuing your aspirations. Incredibly, in the same year, Rebecca became the only person in the world to have completed seven marathons in seven days across seven continents in firefighting kit and a breathing apparatus set.
Alongside her role as Crew Manager at Mid and West Wales Fire Service, where she trains firefighters of the future, Rebecca has recently set up the Fire Angels Leadership Foundation.
The second ceremony of the day honoured Simon Pirotte OBE in recognition of his services to education, the arts and a commitment to an inclusive workplace culture. Simon has worked in the education sector for nearly 40 years. He has made a significant impact throughout his career having worked in the school, Further Education and Higher Education sectors. He has also worked as a Head of Department in Los Angeles, USA, on a Fulbright Scholarship.
Simon joined Bridgend College as Principal and CEO in 2013. Simonâs leadership was described as âinspiringâ in the Bridgend College Estyn inspection report in 2016, where the College was rated âdouble excellentâ. In 2018, Simon was awarded âDirector of the Year for the Public Sectorâ by the Institute of Directors (UK), and in 2019, Bridgend College was named the Times Educational Supplement FE College of the Year. During his ten-year tenure at Bridgend College, the organisation was the highest-ranked FE college in the UK in the Times 100 Best Companies to work for. Simon received an OBE in the 2020 New Year Honours List for his services to Further and Higher Education.
More recently, Simon was appointed as the first CEO of Medr, the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, to establish this new armâs length body of Welsh Government which oversees all post-16 education in Wales. Simon retired from the post in July 2025.
Rebecca and Simon were presented their Fellowships by Emma Adamson, Chair of the Governing Body at Bridgend College.
“It was a genuine honour to present Rebecca and Simon with their Fellowships at our Graduation ceremonies. Their achievements are an inspiration to us all, particularly because both Fellows demonstrate success across diverse and challenging fields. Rebecca and Simon are proof that great professional achievement can be paired with profound social responsibility by fighting for a better future for us all. They truly inspired this year’s graduates to go forward and ‘be all that they can be’.”
Viv Buckley, Principal and CEO
Our Higher Education Graduation is one of the highlights of the year where we celebrate the achievements of our students from the past academic year. Along with College staff, the event was attended by Governors and Members of the Senedd and of Bridgend County Borough Council, including Dr Altaf Hussain, Senedd Regional Member for South Wales West and Councillor Huw David, Mayor of Bridgend County Borough. In addition, Councillor Elen Jones, Mayor of Porthcawl Town Council, and Councillor Gavin Thomas, Mayor of Maesteg Town Council, were also present to celebrate the achievements of students.
