In 2011 Dickon Edwards commenced a part-time degree in English Literature at Birkbeck. He had already enjoyed a career in the music industry in the 1990s and had written the world’s longest-running online diary. But he was now a ‘classic Birkbeck student’, being around 40 years old and seeking the second chance to do a degree which had not been possible earlier in life.

Perhaps one reason for this was that he experienced dyslexia and dyspraxia, which had never been diagnosed until the Birkbeck Disability Office did this during Dickon’s first year. As a result of these diagnoses, Dickon received support which continued throughout his studies. Notwithstanding these challenges, Dickon’s commitment to study saw him through his BA degree with the prize for the best finalist.

He also received the Stephen Thomson Prize, awarded to students who had experienced adversity. In 2015 he proceeded to undertake the MA Contemporary Literature & Culture and was ultimately awarded the prize for the best finalist on this degree too.

Finally, Dickon completed a rare ‘treble’ of Birkbeck degrees in a decade by undertaking a PhD between 2017 and 2021. His thesis concerned Ronald Firbank and the Legacy of Camp Modernism. While researching the thesis, Dickon applied for government funding from the CHASE consortium, which Birkbeck had just joined, and he was given one of these immensely competitive awards to support him while he completed his studies. Indeed, Dickon was the first ever CHASE-funded Birkbeck student to complete the PhD. Dickon’s story reflects his own qualities of intelligence and scholarly dedication. But it is also a very Birkbeck story, an example of how the mission of the College could provide a platform to a gifted student who had faced adversity, and give them a second chance at the blessings of education.