Winter joy for University graduates

11:52am Saturday 24th November 2007

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About 1,000 students toasted their success as they graduated from the University of Bolton.

They received their degree from vice-chancellor Dr George Holmes at the university's winter degree congregation ceremony at the Victoria Hall yesterday.

He said: "The degree congregation ceremonies are a celebration of our graduating students' achievements. Their success is our success."

Each year the university holds two degree ceremonies because it has two intakes of students, one in October and the second in January. Those receiving degrees yesterday were from a January intake.

In total of 2,500 students have graduated from the university this year.

Among those at yesterday's ceremony were the first students to gain the new Master of Business Administraton (MBA) in managing in health and social care.

They included Stephen Barnard, aged 34, who is head of clinical governance at the North-west Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Mr Barnard, who works in Bolton and Manchester, decided to go back to school to further his management career.

Originally from Scotland, he completed the Scottish equivalent to A-levels before training as a paramedic.

Mr Barnard said: "I moved into a management role, and decided to go back to university to learn more about health management.

"I was quite nervous about going back to school, but I have enjoyed it a lot.

"Sometimes juggling a job and study was hard, but I got to experience university life and meet people from different backgrounds."

Colleague John Gillespie, head of clinical education for the North-west Ambulance Service, also graduated from the same course.

Mr Gillespie, aged 47, from Leigh, said: "There were times I did not think I would get to the end of the course. The tutors were very supportive.

"I am delighted to have graduated. It makes it all worthwhile."

Also among the graduates were Ashit Verdia, aged 24, who received an MBA; Shakeel Rehman, aged 26, who gained an MA in human resources; and Nusrad Parveen, aged 29, who received an MBA.

Shakeel said: "We are so pleased to have graduated. We supported each other through the course, and now the job hunting begins."

Students and their families continued their celebrations after the ceremony at a bucks fizz reception provided by the university.

Dr Holmes said: "Our students' approach to their studies - often studying around the demands of their professional lives - is a credit to them.

"We endeavour to create study options that can fit around demanding jobs, but we know how hard our students work to accomplish all that they are celebrating today.

"Congratulations to all of them - we applaud their achievements."