Maisie Williams: Game of Thrones star from Sussex receives honorary doctorate

The Emmy Award-nominated star received an honorary doctorate for arts from vice-chancellor Georgina Andrews, during a graduation ceremony at the Forum in Bath, on Wednesday, July 22.

Williams, 29, said: “It's an absolute honour to receive this degree. I think I've always felt like maybe I didn't learn something that everyone else did at university, but for us all to be here in the same place now kind of feels very full circle.

"I feel like I can learn a lot from these students and they can learn a lot from me too.”

Around 1,500 Bath Spa University graduands were presented with their degrees during the ceremony.

Williams rose to international prominence playing Arya Stark in the hit television series Game of Thrones, earning two Emmy Award nominations and multiple Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

She has most recently completed filming Practical Magic 2, alongside Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock and Joey King.

Away from acting, Williams has been involved in campaigns focused on female empowerment, environmentalism and diversity in the arts.

She has supported causes including WaterAid, Greenpeace and the Dolphin Project, while also founding Daisie, a social media platform for creatives working across areas including arts, fashion, television, film, photography, music and literature.

She is also a supporter of Bristol food poverty charity The MAZI Project.

Accepting her honorary doctorate, Williams offered advice to graduating students.

She said: “Whenever I’m doing something that scares me, whether that’s learning a new skill, walking into an audition, or sitting in an important meeting, I always whisper to myself, ‘Just rock it’.

“And by that, I mean: let go. Stop worrying about getting it right. Stop wondering if you’re good enough, qualified enough, old enough, young enough. Just get in the zone and ROCK it. There is no one else like you.”