University of Warwick: University of Warwick welcomes graduates back to campus for biggest ever celebration
Organisers are expecting to see almost 40,000 graduates and guests attend celebrations at Warwick during July.
Graduates gaining their degrees in 2020 and 2021 were forced to miss out on the pride and tradition of graduations as the pandemic meant ceremonies could not take place.
They were replaced with online-only events but the university promised to host in-person ‘catch up’ ceremonies once it was safe to do so.
And now Warwick has invited those graduates back to campus with their family and friends to formally mark their achievements and celebrate the culmination of years of hard work and dedication.
Formal ceremonies take place on campus with a Presiding Officer, mortar boards, robes and the traditional awarding of degree certificates.
And to recognise the disruption and hardships, graduates went through during lockdown, Warwick has pulled out the stops to make it an extra special celebration.
Mortar boards in the airA festival-style site has been created on Windmill Hill with fairground rides, food and drink stalls and music. The university piazza has been set up to welcome graduates and graduands, with the big screen broadcasting the ceremonies live for any additional guests who could not get tickets for the ceremony itself.
Ceremonies for 2020 and 2021 graduates will take place at Windmill Hill over two weeks between 5-15 July, and those for 2022 graduates will take place at Butterworth Hall between 18-27 July.
Economics graduate Joshua Rawcliffe graduated in 2020 and has since gone on to start his career. He said:
“I’m really excited to come back to Warwick and celebrate with the people I did my degree with, and to come back to campus after a couple of years away.”
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Warwick, Professor Stuart Croft said:
“After two years without graduation ceremonies, it is wonderful to welcome our graduates back to campus to celebrate their achievements in person.
Stuart Croft presents a degree“Those students who graduated in 2020 and 2021 went through a difficult and challenging time, missing out on many aspects of university life, including of course the traditional graduation ceremony. That’s why it was so important to recognise their achievements and give them opportunity to come back and celebrate in style with their family and friends. This will be the biggest graduation celebration event we have ever hosted at the University of Warwick – and I have already seen the joy it has brought to so many people as they enjoy each other’s company, share memories and catch up on future plans.”