“It was AMAZING. I was so excited and emotional, and the whole thing was arranged and worked like a Swiss clock. What an experience it was … I was so happy to be able to share it with my beloved ones.”
Miri Leezer, BSc (Hons) Logistics Management, based in the Netherlands, speaking about her graduation in January.
While the weather may be chilly in January, there’s no doubt at all that the first graduation ceremony of 2019 warmed the hearts of our new graduates, their families and, yes … their tutors.
For our Work-Based Distance Learners, the acknowledgment of their achievement in one of Europe’s finest cathedrals with friends and family watching is a day to remember, and some will have travelled from far-flung parts of the world just to attend.
It’s impossible not to be moved by the stories of many of our WBDL students and their mid-life journeys into higher education. Gaining an honours degree while working in a demanding job, and more likely than not also being a parent or carer, takes courage and determination. Our WBDL students, wherever they are based, have to learn how to juggle work and domestic commitments while, at the same time, discover and adapt to the unfamiliar academic environment, and then squeeze study time into what used to be their leisure hours.
For these students and their tutors, who may never have met face-to-face during their degree programmes, the post-graduation meet and mingle is the opportunity to shake hands and connect in person, at long last. And while you might think that virtual learning equates to a less personal experience for both parties, I’m sure that all WBDL tutors would agree that meeting our students is an enormous pleasure. We are so proud of them!
