Alumni

Alumna Prof Arlene Holmes-Henderson (Ed.D, 2013) has been awarded the Classical Association Prize 2026, which celebrates individuals who have made a significant contribution to promoting Classics in the public domain. Her work has focused on ensuring that subjects such as Ancient History, Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation are accessible to a wider range of learners, including those in schools, universities, museums and community settings. She received an MBE for Services to Education in 2023, in recognition of her sector-leading work.

Alongside this honour, Prof Holmes-Henderson has also received an Outstanding Achievement Award recognising her teaching of Classics in prisons. Through this work, she has helped open up opportunities for personal development and cultural enrichment for prison learners, demonstrating the transformative potential of Classics education in non-traditional environments.

Now seconded into the Government Office for Science, Arlene is helping to bring a wide evidence base to the Future of Childhood and Adolescence project as an expert secondee and part-time civil servant.

Prof Holmes-Henderson has an exciting future ahead. In 2026-2027 she will be the  Gulbenkian Professor of the Humanities at the University of Lisbon, where she will further develop her research and teaching on an international stage.

Her recent achievements highlight her sustained commitment to making the study of Classics more inclusive, ensuring that it reaches and inspires diverse audiences.

You can find out more about Arlene's work here, and keep up with her on social media @profarlenehh. 

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First published: 20 May 2026