One of the highlights of our year is seeing our students graduate.
After a two-year absence we welcomed back 3,600 students to celebrate their success at Durham Cathedral. Even the cold weather and snow couldn’t take the shine off the week, thanks to the incredibly hard work of our staff to ensure the occasion was special for every graduate and their guests.
In the week leading up to the ceremonies the marquee goes up, security staff and general service assistants are on-site, cleaning staff ensure everything is to standard, and catering staff get ready to feed the thousands of happy graduates, parents and guests. It’s a fantastic occasion.
Professor Karen O’Brien, Vice-Chancellor and Warden, said:
''It has been a privilege to host our first congregations in two years. It was a joy to see the culmination of many weeks of hard work by our staff and volunteers in making the ceremonies such a success. Despite the cold temperatures, our colleagues helped to ensure many happy memories were created for our graduates and their guests for many years to come. I would like to thank everyone involved. Thank you to all our staff for making congregations such a success!''
Checking in graduates and guests
Pearl Coils
Making it special
Dialogue Magazine found out more from colleagues who worked or volunteered to ensure a special occasion. They also share some interesting stories too!
Jennie Brownlee, Product & Brand Manager, said: “With four cancelled congregations due to Covid-19 the team was even more motivated than ever to provide a celebration to remember. Colleagues from all our cafes brought their experience, hard work and biggest smiles to the marquee.
“We started the planning for the first Spring Congregation back in January this year, not knowing in advance how kind the weather would be for us. Mother nature brought it all this spring with rain, hail stones, snow... we had it all, broken up with some beautiful sunshine to capture the perfect celebration on camera.
“Our team served over 1,000 glasses of champagne and 2,000 hot drinks, so the weather did not stop our graduates and their proud families enjoying the celebration.”
Alastair Edge and Vicky Parrish
Alastair Edge, Professor in Physics, said: “I helped out marshalling in Summer 2019 Congregation ceremonies. I did it largely because my late wife Irena Lentowicz was very persuasive, and I saw over the years how much she enjoyed it.
“It was great fun as I got to shepherd the students from their seats to go forward to shake the Chancellor’s hand. The day I was marshalling coincided with England playing in the Cricket World Cup at Chester-Le-Street. At the very start the Chancellor, Sir Tom Allen, mentioned the cricket so the other marshal and I contrived to pass on the score from the match during the morning by getting students to tell him: "150", "for 4", "after 24 overs" in turn. The students enjoyed the joke and Sir Tom thanked us after the ceremonies for keeping him up to date!”
Keeping busy outside the cathedral was Marc Page, Housekeeping Team Leader for Palace Green. Marc has worked at the University for 43 years and his role involved keeping the marquee and surrounding buildings on Palace Green clean and tidy. He said: “The team worked really hard to ensure everything was cleaned to the highest standards. They did a fantastic job and really enjoyed being part of the atmosphere. They started at 6am and finished in the evening and really enjoyed seeing how important their role was in making the day the celebration it should be.
“It is always nice to see the occasional famous face too and to remember those who go on to be famous. Graduation to me brings us all together as a community and is the result of everyone’s hard work throughout the year. It’s the best part of my job.”
Carol Bainbridge is Systems and Development Manager in Finance. She’s worked at the University for 22 years and has marshalled for 15 years. Carol believes it's important to give something back, and said: “I had a life changing moment 15 years ago having been diagnosed with cancer. It made me realise some things are more important, such as enjoying life. I do a lot of volunteering in, and outside of work, including being a mentor for students at Van Mildert College, as a school governor and at a youth club.
“It’s such a fantastic event and the atmosphere is wonderful, not to mention the venue. The Cathedral knocks the spots off other universities!
“This year I’m head marshal in the Nave at the Cathedral, helping to seat guests. The five apprentices I manage are also volunteering. It’s a great opportunity, they’ll get to see the other side of what we do. In Finance we don’t often see students so it’s great to take part and to meet colleagues from across the University. It also helps build relationships across departments and I get to see some of my mentees graduate.
Meanwhile Grant Slater, Assistant Principal and Senior Tutor at Collingwood College, was head marshal for the Great Hall and graduand procession. He said: “Our job is to help the graduates to relax and be ready for their ceremony. The most important part is getting the scripts correct to ensure everyone is lined up in order. Checking, double checking, treble checking the attendees, so by the time we set off for the Cathedral, the scripts are 100%. We then lead the procession from the Castle to the Cathedral.”
Grant has been a marshal for 13 years, 12 as head marshal at the Great Hall. He continued: “It’s my favourite part of the year. It is a privilege and a joy. My day job means I am engaged with our students even before they arrive in College and through all their trials and tribulations. To see them on their way to their graduation is quite simply wonderful. In many cases I have got to know their families too, so to see parents on such a great day is also very special.”
Grant Slater
Andrea Cairns from Accommodation and Commercial Services has plenty of experience, having worked at the University for 19 years. She oversees the event on all Estates & Facilities matters. She said: “It is the best week of the year – it is exhausting but so enjoyable. It’s lovely to see the students’ happy faces – with family, knowing all their hard work has paid off. If I wasn’t working on the operations, I’d be volunteering as a marshal.”
Andrea also looks after the Honorary Graduates on the day. She recalls an interesting moment when a high profile (no names!) Honorary Graduate asked for cellotape so she could tape her feet into her shoes, as she was worried her shoes would come off going onto the stage.
Lindsay Young is Alumni and Supporter Engagement Manager (Projects) and has worked at the University for 11 years. She and a number of her colleagues worked in the marquee, welcoming new graduates to the alumni. She said: “I love working at Congregation. You want everyone to have a special day and showcase how great Durham is to their guests. The days are long but I’m always still smiling at the end of it. ''I love seeing the proud parents. One mum was bursting with pride and couldn’t wait to tell me her son had got a 1st. Many of the graduates have been away for over two years so this congregation was even more special. We even have graduation pin badges from years ago as we often get asked by parents or guests who didn’t have one when they graduated.''
“I had one dad who said their son had booked the wrong day for their ceremony and they had travelled and couldn’t attend on the correct day. So the ceremony team managed to put him in the procession and ensure his name was read out, even though it wasn’t his day.”
Vicky and Anna from the Ceremonies Unit would like to say a huge thank you to all our colleagues for helping make our congregations such a success!
Why volunteer?
As well as staff who work during the ceremonies as part of their normal role, the day relies on willing volunteers. You can volunteer for up to five days a week during work time and it has many benefits.
Lindsay continued: “I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t worked on the day to try it. The energy is amazing, it’s just the best experience.''
Lindsay Young
Meanwhile Grant said: “I would recommend it to anyone. Graduations are our end-product, so come and see why we work here. Apart from that it’s great fun and more than that... there’s free food in the Undercroft! I think most people when they have marshalled once will come back again and again. That says a lot.”
Alastair said: “I would encourage any member of staff to help out at Congregation as it is the day that all students and their families have worked toward over so many years. It is a point of celebration, thanks, and optimism for the future. Seeing that end point of the whole process really informs how I approach teaching and supporting students through all the days before that. It can be really tough but there is always a reward at the end of the degree that makes the effort worthwhile.”
If you would like to volunteer for future congregations watch out for the call for volunteers for summer congregations in Dialogue Signposts.
Interesting facts from the day
This graduation:
· 3,600 graduates
· 9,350 guests
· 17 ceremonies
· 120 different countries represented
· 500 teddy bears sold
· 1,000 + glasses of champagne and 2,000 hot drinks sold
· 20,000 steps a day walked by the General Service Assistants
· 15,000 steps a day walked by Housekeeping and Cleaning Service Assistants
· 144 packs of toilet tissue used
· 6 large waste containers emptied every day and 300 sacks of waste removed over the five days
