Mary Keys and Jay Rixon are both Senior Managers in Access, Open and Cross-curricular Innovation and are responsible for the BA or BSc Open Degree and the MA or MSc Open Masters qualifications. In this post, Mary and Jay reflect on their recent opportunity to volunteer at an OU Graduation Ceremony in Poole.
Volunteering at a recent OU graduation ceremony reminded us of the impact education can, and does, have. We worked with the OU ceremonies graduation team in Poole and what an honour it was to join such a dedicated group of staff who set out to make each event memorable and special for every single student and their friends and family. They ensure that those graduates are celebrated for their own individual achievements acknowledging the personalised journey each student has been on and the milestones they have overcome along the way.
This was a ‘small’ ceremony, with approx. 160 graduates and 600 guests. As the team behind the scenes we arrived early and had our own backstage area to hang out in and we got to do not one but two rehearsals for the event. Jay got to take part in the procession, following the Mace Bearer, whilst wearing full academic robes in her role as a Stage Marshall. The entrances and exits were practiced along with other on-stage roles. Mary worked on the registration desk, meeting and greeting graduates and families, getting to see the excitement and anticipation as well as relief in the faces of the graduates she met. As graduates arrived, the sun came out and it was a pleasure to see families taking photos, chatting and enjoying the day, and as the start time for the event drew closer the buzz in the venue was palpable.
The ceremony itself was emotional from the start, with a short video welcoming the guests and presenting previous graduate stories and experiences. The ceremony was officially opened by the Presiding Officer, a member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive, with graduates being awarded their certificates in an atmosphere of celebration and fun with many uplifting moments. Jay says the highlight for her was observing the students as they crossed the stage with a mixture of relief, pleasure, and delight and some were genuinely moved at the experience. Mary says her role gave her the chance to be among the graduates and feel their sense of excitement and pride. The day went off without a hitch. There were many sweet moments on stage where students shook the Presiding Officer’s hands often exchanging remarks on what this day meant to them. Some students were on FaceTime calls to other countries with families so they could share the moment, some shared their moments with young children and there were even a few selfies. It was lovely to see the number of students who have studied an Open qualification graduate that day.
Working alongside the fantastic graduation ceremonies team gave us an insight into the slick operation they run, not only in the attention to detail in the planning stages but the adjustments they try to make so that the day is as tailored to individuals as possible. Both Mary and Jay were impressed by the commitment shown by this team and would encourage other members of OU staff to volunteer at such an event if they get the chance – it was a real honour.