UWTSD celebrate at Swansea Graduation ceremonies

The first of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Graduation ceremonies for students who graduated during the coronavirus pandemic took place at the Swansea Arena today (Monday, 28^th March). 

After postponements due to coronavirus, Graduation ceremonies have resumed for those who completed courses at UWTSD during the last two years, providing an opportunity to celebrate their success, and commitment and to enable the University community to acknowledge their students’ achievements. 

Addressing the graduands at the new Swansea Arena, UWTSD’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Medwin Hughes, DL said:

“The Graduation ceremony marks the climax in the academic career of our students.  It is the result of hard work and commitment, but we should also remember the support given by family and friends.

You all graduate with the skills and attributes you require to make a difference in your chosen career. I trust, as you look back at your time as a student of the University, that you take with you the many friendships and happy memories of our time here, and that your experiences at UWTSD will serve you well throughout your life.

“I wish you all success for your future and remind you that, as alumni of this University, we will endeavour to support you and hope that you will continue to stay in touch with us”. 

Professor Ian Walsh, Provost of the Swansea campus said: “It’s a great pleasure for me as Provost to welcome our students to our graduation ceremonies and to the great City of Swansea and to this magnificent new Arena.

“As we gather here in our academic and civic finery it’s a reminder of the connections that you as graduates of a modern, contemporary university have with those who have walked this path before you. 

“We do it to honour you our graduating students and as a tribute to your loved ones, your families and friends, who have supported you on your journey. But it also underlines the continuity which a university represents as a place of learning and of enlightenment where minds are opened to new possibilities and where the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom is cherished.

“This graduation season is unlike any other in the long history of this historic University. It’s almost two years to the day since that first lockdown. In the space of a weekend, we all had to pivot to a new way of learning; a new way of teaching. The sacrifices you made to keep each other safe and the way in which you pulled together was nothing short of amazing. By your hard work and commitment, you showed a resilience and determination to succeed that has brought you to this point today. That resilience, that inner strength is something you will carry with you throughout what I’m sure will be long and successful careers.”

In his address to graduands, Swansea Students’ Union president, Liam Powell, said: ““It has been an absolute honour to have been your President this year, and as your president can I just say how proud I am of every single one of you. You are all inspirational and I look forward to hearing your success in the future. For family and friends who are with us today and for those who can’t be with us let us never forget what these graduates achieved. 

“I would like to thank the staff of UWTSD who have been with us every step of the way - from academics to student services, from careers advisors to library staff and from the senior management team to the Academic Office - you have done the best job we could ask for. You have guided, supported and fought for us to achieve and achieve we have. You should be so proud of yourselves, I know from my brief time on placement how difficult teaching in the pandemic was and you did it. You didn’t give up even in the face of such uncertainty you were always there. So from myself, the students sat here today and all the students of UWTSD, Diolch yn fawr”.

Emily Eeles and Lottie Rowlands graduated from the BA Fine Art programme.  Emily said: “We’ve waited two years to graduate because of COVID, and this is an amazing day. Seeing our friends and being able to celebrate with them and their families has been absolutely amazing and to celebrate in Swansea’s new arena too has been wonderful”.

There will be another full day of catch up ceremonies in Swansea tomorrow (Tuesday, March 29th), and further ceremonies for student of the Carmarthen and Cardiff campuses next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

You can watch each of the ceremonies live on the University’s website by visiting https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/live-video/

This year UWTSD is celebrating 200 years of higher education in Wales. The bicentenary commemorates the establishment of St David’s College, Lampeter on 12 August 1822 through the laying of the foundation stone which marks the beginning of higher education in Wales.

From the seeds sown in Lampeter over two centuries ago to the development of its campuses, UWTSD has grown into a multi-campus, dual-sector University providing vocationally relevant programmes in partnership with employers.

Further Information

For more information please contact Arwel Lloyd, Principal PR and Communications Officer, on 01267 676663 / arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk