MEMORIES to last a lifetime were celebrated this week with more than 1200 university students graduating at the University of Newcastle.
Friday, July 19 marked the end of six ceremonies at the Callaghan Campus with the students graduating from the School of Medicine and Public Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Biomedical Science and Pharmacy.
Online student Matilda Boey made the trip over from Singapore with her parents for her Master of Public Health graduation in Newcastle.
"I feel great. I have been working and studying full-time and this is a huge achievement for me," she said.
On Wednesday three ceremonies were held for Newcastle Business School, School of Education, Pathway Programs and School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences, School of Law and Justice which saw Rebecca Cramp complete a degree she initially started 12 years ago.
Military veteran turned student, Brendan Bowler graduated on Thursday morning from the School of Architecture and Built Environment, and School of Engineering.
A second ceremony was held later in the day for graduates from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, School of Information and Physical Sciences, and School of Psychological Sciences.
This year also marks 50 years of Open Foundation, at the university, which is a pathway program opening doors to education and career opportunities for people from all walks of life.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky AO congratulated all graduates for the commitment to their study and career aspirations, including those graduating from pathway programs.
"Every student graduating this week in our Great Hall has made an investment in themselves and their future. Whether graduating from a pathway program or with a PhD, they will each reap the benefits of this investment for a lifetime," he said.
"I'm proud the latest graduate outcomes survey shows that over 90 per cent of our undergraduate, and almost 95 per cent of our postgraduate students are employed within four months of graduation."
This year UON had the highest ever number of students graduating with Doctoral degrees, with almost 200 PhD and Master of Philosophy students invited to graduate.
Graduates will become a part of the 175,000-strong alumni network that stretches across 154 countries around the world.
