Celebrating the legacy of Professor Jimmy Steele CBE

Scholarship established in memory of alumnus and former Head of Dental School celebrates first students graduating

Following his untimely death, Katie created the Jimmy Steele Scholarship to continue her husband’s legacy in dental education. The scholarship provides two BDS Dental Surgery students each year, from underrepresented backgrounds, with £4,000 over four years.

Professor Chris Vernazza, Head of Newcastle University Dental School, told us:

“Jimmy had a profound impact on so many individuals on campus, and in the wider dental profession worldwide. However, it is for his passion for educating, supporting and developing staff and students, alongside his irrepressible wit and wisdom, that Jimmy is most remembered for in the school.

 

“The scholarship is a perfect way of remembering Jimmy, fulfilling his values of supporting students from underrepresented groups. We are so grateful to Katie for establishing this scheme and to all of our donors who enable our students to benefit.”

So far, 10 students have benefitted from Jimmy’s legacy, with the first student scholars – James and Ellena – graduating from the BDS Dental Surgery programme on Monday 13 July 2026.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, Katie returned to campus to celebrate with James and Ellena, and we caught up with the trio to discover the impact of Jimmy’s legacy and hopes for the future.

“The financial support has allowed me to invest my time wisely and build my CV”

The £1,000 a year award alleviated financial pressure during the cost-of-living crisis, covering utilities and food bills, empowered James to buy an iPad to complete all of his work on, and ensured he was financially secure enough to not have to seek part-time employment alongside his demanding degree. Instead, James was able to use his free time to develop skills needed for his future career and make him stand out amongst his cohort. He said:

“The extra support from Katie and her family has allowed me to invest my time into activities that build my CV and grow my network.

 

“One of my favourite extracurricular activities has been the ‘Brush Up’ initiative – which was introduced by Jimmy when he was Head of School. I was President of the society in my third year, and we would reach out to the local community to promote the importance of oral hygiene.

 

“During my presidency, I expanded the remit from just local primary schools to other hard to reach communities, including asylum seekers, mother and toddler groups and people with disabilities, which was really rewarding as we were able to engage with over 1,000 local people. We also won the Outstanding Contribution to Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Award at the 2024 Newcastle University Awards in recognition of this work!”

In his final year of study, James was also appointed as Treasurer for the British Dental Students Association (BDSA), an organisation that brings together all 16 dental schools in the UK to represent the student community, and over the Easter break, he was the UK delegate at the European Dental Student Association conference in Amsterdam.

Now that James has graduated, he’s looking to his future as a dentist. He said:

“Being a dentist is just perfectly suited to me because it’s a blend of communicating with patients and working so practically – it’s very artistic in a way! I really enjoy formulating a treatment plan and seeing it right through to the end and seeing how much of an impact we can make on people’s lives.

 

“I’d love to stay in Newcastle and start my career here. Having spent the last five years here, it feels like home now. I’ve always wanted to work in a hospital and was originally interested in oral surgery but over the course of my studies other areas have really stood out that I’d like to explore further, including complex prosthodontics and periodontics.”

“I’m proud to be keeping Jimmy’s memory alive”

Joining university during the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, Ellena had never visited Newcastle before arriving as a first year, which she described as being “dropped in at the deep end!” But reflecting on her five years in the city, Ellena has lots of fond memories and has made “friends for life”.

Alongside her studies, Ellena has held several part-time jobs in the city as well as growing a family Etsy business with her sister, creating bow ties for dogs! Over the course of her studies on campus, Ellena has also joined the university gym and was Secretary for DentSoc in her third year.

Following her final exams, Ellena enjoyed making lasting memories with her peers including at their Grad Ball and a group holiday which saw 25 dental students fly to Malaga! She graduated on campus with 18 family members travelling to Newcastle to join in the jubilations and is now looking forward to starting her general practice foundation training with the NHS back in her hometown of Nottingham and potentially exploring special care dentistry – working with vulnerable people with complex medical needs – in the future.

Speaking of her gratitude to Katie and the other donors who have made the Jimmy Steele Scholarship possible, Ellena said:

“I can’t say a big enough thank you. It’s made a massive difference to my whole university experience not having to worry about money and be on a level playing field with my peers, and it’s meant I can just focus on enjoying my time as a student and making lasting memories.

 

“I’ve really enjoyed meeting Katie over the course of my studies and hearing her stories about Jimmy – and I’m proud to tell peers about my scholarship too as it keeps his memory alive. He was such a big part of the Dental School, and it’s been lovely to hear recollections from clinicians too when they find out I’m a Jimmy Steele scholar.

 

“If you’re reading this and you are in a position to give back to the university and help someone else like me, it is really appreciated and makes such a difference.”

“One of Jimmy’s core principles was equality of opportunity”

Katie and Jimmy met as students at Dundee University in 1980. The couple married in 1987, and two years later made the move to Newcastle to join the university. Jimmy eventually progressed to become Dean of Dentistry while Katie worked as Professor of Neuromuscular Genetics at the Centre for Life. The pair share two children, Tom and Jenny.

Following Jimmy’s untimely death, the family were thinking of how to commemorate his life and agreed that establishing a studentship in his name to facilitate access to university seemed like an ideal way to do it. Katie told us:

About the Jimmy Steele Scholarship

The Jimmy Steele Scholarship was established in memory of Emeritus Professor Jimmy Steele CBE, who was Head of the Dental School, to help students who might face financial stress in accessing a degree. Originally established by Katie and Jimmy’s family, today Jimmy’s legacy is kept alive on campus through generous donations from our wider alumni community.

Students from underrepresented backgrounds are eligible for the scholarship, which provides £4,000 to help them during their studies at Newcastle Dental School. This includes students who were eligible for Free School Meals or those who have care experience. The hope is that the support will go a little way to smoothing the pathway to becoming a great dentist. 

James and Ellena were the first students on campus to receive the scholarship, but Jimmy’s family and alumni friends continue to offer scholarships for new students arriving to study dentistry. You can find out more about how you can make a difference, and support the scholarship, via the link below.