Susann Power

Over the last week, my social media feed has been filled with graduation photographs. There have been countless images of smiling graduates in gowns and mortarboards, proudly holding their degree certificates, laughing with friends, posing alongside family members, and sharing heartfelt messages of gratitude and accomplishment. My academic colleagues have been posting too, celebrating the achievements of their students, sharing their pride, and marking the end of another academic year. It is impossible not to be swept up in the joy of it all. Last week, Ulster University – my academic home – graduated approximately 5,000 students. That figure is astonishing when you stop to think about it. I had the privilege of attending the ceremony for around 250 of those graduates during my school’s graduation session, and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Graduation Day is the most important day in the academic calendar. As our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Bartholomew, puts it so eloquently:

“Graduation Day is the day that grounds us into the why we are here.”

The Ritual of Graduation

For me, Graduation Day actually begins the day before.

It starts with retrieving my University of Surrey PhD gown from its garment bag and hanging it up overnight. The next day, I carefully steam out the creases, dust down the floppy doctoral hat, and adjust the cord. Then comes the equally important task of choosing what to wear. The outfit needs to be professional, comfortable, and suitable for a formal celebration. Summer graduations can be surprisingly warm, especially underneath a heavy PhD robe. Footwear requires particular consideration too. Trainers are out of the question, but high heels are hardly practical when processing through an auditorium. Stability and dignity matter when you’re walking in front of hundreds of people.

My University of Surrey doctoral gown, with its cardinal red fabric and blue brocade detailing, makes colour coordination something of a challenge. Yet I genuinely enjoy the preparation. It has become a personal ritual that signals the significance of the occasion and allows me to reflect before the celebrations begin.

The Best Two Hours of the Year

On Graduation Day itself, there is a wonderful sense of anticipation.

Academic staff gather in the green room for tea and coffee before the ceremony begins. Colleagues catch up, share stories, and enjoy a few moments of calm before the proceedings start. Then, with ten minutes to go, we are called into position. As the trumpet fanfare begins, the procession enters the auditorium.

I love the procession. I love the pomp, the ceremony, and the sense of occasion. There is a genuine reverence in those moments as we walk onto the stage and take our seats, ready to recognise the achievements of every single graduate crossing that stage.

And yes, there are challenges. The spotlights are hot. Your hands quickly become sore from clapping. You cannot move about, chat to colleagues, or even casually sip water while the cameras are rolling. As someone who inevitably ends up sitting in the front row, centre stage; thanks to the alphabetical ordering of staff and academic qualifications, I am always particularly aware of that fact.

But none of that matters. Those two hours are, quite simply, some of the best hours of the year. I applaud every graduate with genuine enthusiasm. I enjoy the speeches, the vote of thanks, and the jubilant atmosphere. I smile at the student who quietly collects their degree and slips away, and equally at those who celebrate with dramatic gestures and excitement. It is simply fabulous.

More Than a Moment

Watching students graduate is not just about celebrating a single day. For academics like me, Graduation Day represents the culmination of years of shared effort, growth, and perseverance. As the graduates cross the stage, my mind fills with memories. I remember the nervous first-year students who arrived at university having just left home for the first time. I remember the challenges they faced such as academic pressures, personal setbacks and moments of self-doubt. I also remember the determination they showed in overcoming them. I remember watching them grow. Year by year, they developed into confident young professionals, ready to make their mark on the world. From my perspective, Graduation Day is an anchor. It is reassuring, rewarding, and deeply affirming. It reminds me why I chose this profession and reinforces my sense of purpose.

What Is the Purpose of University Anyway?

The timing of graduation this year was particularly challenging because it coincided with another wave of media commentary about the value of higher education. Many of the articles focused almost exclusively on financial return on investment. They analysed graduate earnings, student loan repayments, and career outcomes. They featured stories from individuals who had pursued different career paths from those anticipated when they enrolled. Some questioned the value of particular degrees, especially those in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

I find these debates, or university-bashing, frustrating because they often offer a narrow and incomplete picture of what a university education actually provides. A university degree is about far more than technical knowledge or professional training. Throughout my career, I have guided, mentored, educated, supported, and encouraged young people through one of the most transformative periods of their lives. Universities do not simply prepare students for employment; they help prepare them for adulthood.

We operate in that unique space between dependence and independence, between adolescence and professional life. In that liminal space, students develop resilience, confidence, critical thinking, communication skills, and self-awareness. They learn to navigate complexity, collaborate with others, and understand their place in the wider world. Universities provide opportunities for exploration, creativity, reflection, and personal growth. They challenge students to think differently, to question assumptions, and to discover capabilities they may never have realised they possessed.

Sometimes, we provide encouragement. Sometimes, we provide a much-needed push. Always, we strive to create environments where students feel included, supported, safe, and capable of achieving their potential. That contribution may be difficult to measure on a balance sheet, but it is no less valuable.

A Reminder of What It’s All About

So the next time I come across another article questioning the value of universities, I may simply stop reading. Instead, I will look at a graduation photograph from one of the ceremonies I have had the privilege to attend as a member of academic staff. I will see the smiles, the pride, the relief, and the excitement. And I will remember exactly what it is all about.

Congratulations, Class of 2026. You did it. 🎓