Ceremony 1

It all began at 10 on Monday morning.

The University Vice-Chancellor Paul O’Prey opened proceedings.

Olivier Award winning actor (for his role as Lola in Kinky Boots 👠) and former Roehampton Drama student, Matt Henry, was awarded with the Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Alumni Achievement.

Students from the departments of Drama, Theatre and Performance, Humanities and Life Sciences then began to walk the long red carpet for the conferment of their degrees.

Everyone looked so happy.

Like, really really happy.

Others waved like royalty…

At the end of the ceremony, Chuchu Nwagu gave his inaugural graduation address as President of the Roehampton Students’ Union.

“Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now”.

The informal celebrations then began…

Guests welcomed back their loved ones, who were now officially Roehampton graduates.

Ceremony 2

Rt. Hon the Baroness Scotland QC was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws for her exceptional career and her commitment to social justice, equality and education.

Then The Queen arrived 👑👑👑

Disclaimer: Not the ACTUAL Queen, but our amazing Chancellor, Professor Dame Jacqueline Wilson 😍

Students of Dance, English and Creative Writing and Social Sciences celebrated becoming graduates together.

Some tried to find the exact angle for the best photo.

Others went too far in search of that angle.

Ceremony 3

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, journalist, author and academic, was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters.

Yasmin has written for the Guardian, Observer, Sunday Times and New York Times, on topics including immigration, diversity and multiculturalism.

Then came the turn of Psychology, and Media, Culture and Language students to cross the stage.

Some graduates were photobombed by a mysterious black cat.

Elsewhere, graduates and guests basked in the 30 degree heat as they posed for post-graduation photos.

Outfits and mortarboard throws were sychronised.

Ceremony 4

On day two, Roehampton Pro-Chancellor and Dean of Westminster Abbey, The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, was awarded Fellow of the University. The award was conferred by our Chair of Council, Sir David Bell, and was in recognition for the enormous contribution that Dr Hall has made to both Whitelands College and Roehampton, including most recently as Chair of the University’s Development Board, which oversaw fundraising for the University’s award-winning Library.

It was then the turn of the School of Education to proudly cross the stage.

The sun continued to shine on London as students and guests congregated before and after their ceremonies.

Even the bins at the Southbank Centre were trying to get involved in the celebrations.

The mortarboard throws were getting higher and higher as the ceremonies passed.

Ceremony 5

Roehampton Business School and QA students awaited their turn to graduate.

Some of the robes got very fancy.

Very very fancy indeed.

Our Business School students understood the importance of branding.

And won several prestigious awards for their hard work.

Ceremony 6

Roehampton Online (Laureate), Schiller, EUBS and Aventis students then graduated.

We loved seeing all the post-graduation smiles after every ceremony.

And future graduates being a part of the day.

Ceremony 6 was the last of #RoeGraduation.

We’d like to say thank you to every academic that processed…

To every partner that selflessly spent the day behind the lens…

To every proud parent that conveniently didn’t see the ‘no recording of this ceremony’ sign…

To every guest that attended the day with their loved ones no matter how tiring it was in the heat…

To every friend that was able to celebrate graduation side-by-side…

And to every floral tie worn.

You all made the Class of 2018 Summer Graduation unforgettable. And to that we say cheers.

 

All images courtesy of the incredibly talented Chris Perry, also a Roehampton alumnus, and available for hire via his website, where you can also see more photos of the graduation.