‘Nothing stops you if you put in work’
THE undisputed highlight of any university calendar is graduation and next month - for the first time since the autumn of 2019 - we welcome thousands of graduates back to Staffordshire University to celebrate their achievements.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the resulting restrictions and lockdowns, we were unable to hold our usual celebrations.
Instead, our graduating cohorts from 2020 and 2021 were invited to take part in online celebrations which, while they presented a timely opportunity to celebrate and reminisce with friends and tutors, were by no means a substitute for the traditional ceremony.
Though we are all still living with the ongoing implications of the pandemic, university life has now settled into a more familiar routine, and we can once again return to the historic Grade II listed King’s Hall in Stoke for our graduation ceremonies.
From November 15 to November 29, thousands of Staffordshire University graduates will cross the stage to be personally congratulated on their significant achievement.
Those being celebrated include people who officially graduated in 2020 in addition to our Class of 2021. There is no doubt that each person present will have earned their place on the stage.
The completion of a degree is a feat to be admired at any time but for those who have done so during a global pandemic makes their achievement even more impressive.
Like everyone, our graduands will have faced personal challenges and worries over the last 20 months but despite everything they remained committed to their education and to building brighter futures for themselves.
For many of our graduands, the first national lockdown coincided with the final leg of their study experience and work towards their exams and final assessments.
Here at Staffordshire University, we made it our priority to support them to complete their higher education journey at the same time as helping our other year groups to progress to their next level.
We know of many graduates with caring responsibilities who had to fit their study commitments in alongside home schooling their children and looking after their loved ones and graduation is their opportunity to
feel proud of everything they’ve achieved and overcome.
Among our graduands is a significant representation of those who completed healthcare courses.
They can be rightly proud of their achievements as they studied and took part in placements on the frontline of healthcare at a time when the country needed our NHS the most.
Many will now be working in the healthcare sector and still feeling the pressure of providing care at a critical time for so many people.
There is no doubt that the world of work has changed significantly since our Class of 2020 and 2021 embarked on their studies with us.
All industries have faced challenges and had to adapt during the pandemic, but we are confident that during their time with us our students have been given the skills and experience they need to adapt to new environments and turn challenges into successes.
It is to them that we now look to help rebuild our world and support our economic recovery and future prosperity.
It was never going to be easy to study or graduate during a global health crisis, but we are exceptionally proud of the resilience and resourcefulness of our student community.
They remained focused at a time when many of them were separated from family and friends and showed real grit and determination to complete this turbulent leg of their journey.
It’s also important to recognise the support that they needed to do this, and our graduation ceremonies are an opportunity to thank our lecturers, and the graduands’ family and friends who have helped them reach this important milestone.
While the pandemic has tested the resolve of our university and students, it has also shown what we are capable of when we work together in a supportive and encouraging environment.
The key message for those who will be at the King’s Hall with us next month is that if you make every effort to get where you want in life, and pursue work that makes a difference, there will be nothing to stop you achieving your dreams.
This November will truly be one to remember for our university.