Students celebrate university success at graduation

The start of 2017 has seen the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of hundreds of University of Lincoln students

 when they graduated at Lincoln Cathedral this week.

Family, friends and tutors gathered at the iconic building to celebrate the dedication of around 650 undergraduate and postgraduate students from across the University’s four academic colleges, and watch them receive their awards in two ceremonies on 18th January 2017.

The students donned traditional cap and gowns to collect the degrees and doctorates which represent the culmination of years of work. Members of the public were able to share in the spectacle by watching the graduates process across the Castle Square cobbles to Lincoln Castle following each ceremony.

Professor Mary Stuart, Vice Chancellor at the University of Lincoln, said: “With every new year come new opportunities, and the students receiving their degree awards at the January graduation ceremonies now have a wealth of opportunities open to them.

“Celebrating these achievements in the beautiful Lincoln Cathedral setting does justice to all of their hard work, and we are delighted to be able to recognise that work with such a grand ceremony.

“Bringing together the tutors who helped them achieve academic excellence, alongside the families and friends who supported their university career is a wonderful way to mark this moment. We look forward to hearing about where their degrees have taken them in the years to come through our Alumni network.”

One postgraduate student who received his Doctorate is Georgios Leontidis, from Athens in Greece. He was awarded a research PhD in Early Screening and Diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy, which was part of the multinational Retinal Vascular Modelling, Measurement and Diagnosis (REVAMMAD) project.

The multinational project, led by the University of Lincoln, aims to develop new techniques for detecting diabetic retinopathy at early onset with the hope of improving prevention and treatment of this major cause of blindness. His PhD was funded through a Marie Curie Fellowship and took three years to complete.

“I am really proud to be earning my PhD because of all the effort and time I put in, and I am very happy to have collected my award at the magnificent Lincoln Cathedral alongside colleagues and friends,” said Georgios, who will join the University of Lincoln’s School of Computer Science as a lecturer in March.

“The title of Dr itself was never the goal for me, but rather it was about the journey and experience that came with it. I really enjoy research at a high and innovative level, even though it requires commitment and more importantly, an efficient life-work balance, to pull it off.

“Two things distinguish the School of Computer Science; first is the ambition to continuously improve in both research and teaching, resulting in unique experiences and opportunities for the students, and second is the work environment itself, with new improved facilities and also a great group of people, who go the extra mile.”

Alongside those receiving their doctorates, Najam Kidwai received an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration for his contribution to the business community and entrepreneurial activities. Najam’s entrepreneurial nature has seen him work in a number of key roles ranging from a CEO and venture capitalist, to a board director and a private equity investor, and he is currently a General Partner of Edge Holdings LLC, which is responsible for founding and funding new ventures in technology, digital health, sports and entertainment.

Lecturer Hanya Pielichaty, who teaches on the BSc (Hons) Events Management course, was also given special mention in the ceremony when she received the Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Award. The award was handed out to mark her dedication to developing new workshops which give students digital literacy skills which they can use in the field of event management, directly related to their degrees.

The University of Lincoln’s latest graduation took place at Lincoln Cathedral on Wednesday 18th January 2017, with ceremonies at 10.30am and 2.30pm.