Graduation celebrations got underway today, as the Class of 2022 turned out in their caps and gowns at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.
Final year students were joined by proud family and friends, who watched on as the graduands processed across the platform and received their degree awards.
At Hope Park, prize-winning graduands began their day at a special celebration service in the Chapel, which was followed by School and Department drinks receptions where they could toast their success alongside their tutors.
The ever-popular hat throw returned to the Library Quad, while the University’s picturesque grounds were the backdrop for many a proud photo.
Graduands at Hope’s prize-giving service were encouraged to ask questions, prepare for disruption and ask questions in the face of a rapidly changing world.
Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Peter McGrail used the hottest day ever recorded in the UK to highlight that physical and global changes - alongside social, economic and technical changes - would be part of each students’ future. He added that students had the skill to address these changes and should not be restrained when asking questions that would make positive differences to the future.
Lyndsey Rutter, who won the prize for the Best Performing Student in BA Design and the Preston Carter Foundation Award, described Liverpool Hope and the Creative Campus as feeling like home over the last three years. As a mature student from Jersey, Lyndsey had to face eight months apart from her daughter during the second pandemic lockdown.
“The support of my tutors, in fact everyone on the Creative Campus, from the restaurant staff to the support staff, was the reason that I was able to carry on with my degree. Yes, it was hard being away from home for so long but it was massively worth it.
“Walking onto the Creative Campus feels like coming home – it’s so welcoming. I loved my course and will do a Masters in the future, but now it’s my daughter’s time to study for her GCSEs.”
Chloe Shatford, from Lancaster, won the best student award for Sport and Physical Education. Shocked, but delighted, Chloe’s fellow students, Matthew Courtney and Freya Banky said that it was “well deserved”. All three Sport & Physical Education students agreed that the relationship they had with their tutors played an important part in making their time on the course so positive.
“We felt like a really close group of students, and also felt that the tutors really knew us too.
Although we did connect when we studied remotely, it was really great being reunited back on campus.”
At this summer’s graduations, three special guests are to be awarded honorary doctorates for their work.
Dr Margaret Ashwell OBE and Mr Ian Cosh will be conferred with the title of Doctor of Education (honoris causa) and Professor Nigel Osborne will receive the award Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa).
The prestigious titles are bestowed in recognition of the recipient’s contribution to their specific field of activity, and to the values and mission of Liverpool Hope University.
Celebrations will continue throughout the week, with two further Graduation ceremonies taking place tomorrow and Thursday.
View all the photos from Tuesday's Graduation on our Flickr gallery.