Denis Burn was conferred his honorary fellowship in front of 300 graduating students in the Wills Memorial Building on 13 April.
Over the course of its 113 year history fewer than 40 people have received the prestigious award.
Mr Burn graduated from the University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1988 he co-founded Gimlet, a management consultancy firm and later became an early internet entrepreneur involved in the creation of eTeach, which remains one of the UK’s most used school recruitment platforms.
But his work as a volunteer started earlier still – and continues to this day. He was a founding trustee (and Chair) of MusicSpace, a charity that offers music therapy for people with severe autism.
He later founded South Bristol Youth, which works with young people, parents and carers in disadvantaged areas of the city.
Denis was also the champion and founding Chair of Merchants Academy, which is now a multi-academy Trust with more than 3,200 pupils.
Meanwhile, as Chair of the Theatre Royal Trust and later vice-chair of Bristol Old Vic, he was instrumental in raising £25million to fund the building’s much-celebrated refurbishment.
Alongside this he found time to be on the University’s Board of Trustees, the supreme governing body of the University.
He joined the Board in 2006, taking on the role of Chair in 2010 during a time of great change in the UK higher education system.
Announcing his honorary fellowship today, Robin Geller, former University of Bristol Chief Operating Officer and Registrar, called Mr Burn “down to earth and utterly unpretentious”, adding that he had “lived a life of service and made the world a better place”.
His legacy includes bolstering “the University’s commitment to ensuring students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to study at Bristol,” Ms Geller said.
Receiving the award, Mr Burn urged graduating students to use their skills and education to help others.
“So much of the world needs fixing and you are the people who can make this happen,” he said.
“You have the energy, the ethics, the right mindset. You can ask those naive questions that creates change.”
“If you, like me, enjoy variety; if you like a range of different experiences; meeting people you wouldn’t usually meet in different circles; if you want to enjoy occasional moments of deep satisfaction, then please try volunteering.
He added that today’s youth had the opportunity to address the “mistakes that my generation made and now need fixing”.
“I wish all of you a rich, exciting and fun filled life. And if I have nudged any of you into being more active or engaged in charity then I will be even more pleased to have been given this honorary fellowship,” he said.