AUTHOR and scholar Prof Meic Stephens has been honoured as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

At a special ceremony in Cardiff, he was presented as Fellow by the university’s pro chancellor Gwerfyl Pierce Jones.

Originally from Trefforest, near Pontypridd, Prof Stephens studied French at Aberystwyth University, graduating in 1961 before going on to work as a French teacher and then as a journalist.

He founded Poetry Wales in 1965 and edited the magazine for a period of eight years.

In 1967 he was appointed literature director for the Arts Council of Wales, a post he held until 1990.

A prolific author, poet and editor, his masterpieces include The Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales (1986) and Library of Wales: Poetry 1900-2000, a hefty tome that features the history and work of a hundred poets from Wales.

Early on in his career he worked as a journalist for the Western Mail, a connection he has retained over the years as a contributor of many literature features published by the paper.

He is also a regular contributor of obituaries for prominent Welsh people in the Guardian and the Independent.

In 2000, he was appointed professor of Welsh writing in English at the University of Glamorgan.

Honorary Fellowships are presented to individuals who have, or have had a connection with Aberystwyth University or Wales, and who have made an outstanding contribution to their chosen field.

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