Thousands of graduates will be awarded their degree certificates over the next week, as ceremonies officially kick off today, Friday 16 October.
University of Suffolk at East Coast College students will gather at Great Yarmouth Minster this afternoon, where they will be awarded their degree certificates by Chancellor Zeb Soanes.
Ceremonies will then continue from Saturday in a special marquee on Ipswich Waterfront, concluding on Wednesday 22 October.
More than 4,000 students will be conferred their degrees this autumn.
Lauren Searle, from Ipswich, is among those to graduate over the next week, with a BSc (Hons) Psychology degree.
Lauren, who has enjoyed an active student experience that has included attending NUS conferences, contributing to research in the university’s Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, and helping organise and lead the Reclaim the Night marches with the Students’ Union, said: “Graduating from the University of Suffolk is an incredibly proud moment for me, especially as the first in my family to attend university.
“My time at university has been full of opportunities and unforgettable experiences, and being involved in so many aspects of university life has helped me grow personally and academically, while also preparing me for the next stage of my journey.”
Another graduating is Katie-Ann Smith from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, who will join her Biomedical Science classmates at her ceremony on Monday evening.
Katie-Ann has gone on to start an MPhil Biological Sciences (Reproduction and Embryogenesis) course at the University of Cambridge this autumn and is hoping to continue her path into a research career beyond her studies.
“It feels very surreal to have graduated, Suffolk has been my home for the past three years, though it feels like I was in my first lecture only yesterday,” Katie-Ann said.
“I am very grateful and proud to be in the position to receive my degree alongside my closest friends. Every step of the way my lecturers have been so supportive and I have so many lovely memories of my time at Suffolk – including meeting my best friends for life.”
As part of the university’s 10th anniversary celebrations, long-serving members of staff have been invited to be macebearers for the ceremonies, leading the procession to and from the stage.
In addition, two honorary doctorates will be awarded at the ceremonies in Ipswich.
On Saturday, Emma Freud OBE will join students in recognition of her work, which has included charitable endeavours such as co-founding the Make Poverty History campaign, producing the Live 8 series of concerts, and serving as a Creative Director at Comic Relief.
Emma is also a seasoned broadcaster for the likes of BBC Radio 4, and host of NTLive, as well as working as a co-producer or script editor on 18 films, including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and the Suffolk-inspired Yesterday.
On Tuesday morning, historian and historical novelist Dr Alison Weir will receive her honorary doctorate.
Alison is the UK’s top-selling female historian, and fifth-best selling historian overall in the UK, writing 22 history books, most recently Queens At War.
She has also penned 17 historical novels, including the six-part Tudor series about the lives of King Henry VIII’s wives.
Professor Jenny Higham, University of Suffolk Vice-Chancellor, will be conferring many of the awards across the week. She said: “Graduation week is an incredibly special time for the university, seeing friends and family come together with our graduates to celebrate their achievements.
“These awards recognise the dedication and hard work of our graduates across their time here, and we look forward to seeing their future success in whatever career or study paths they embark on.”
The Ipswich ceremonies will also be live streamed online. To find out more about graduation at the University of Suffolk and where to find the livestream links, visit the website here: Graduation | University of Suffolk.
