I can still recall my own Swansea University graduation ceremony in 1981. It was in the Brangwyn Hall, which was packed out wiith eager graduates and their parents.
Because these things are done alphabetically, I was in one of the early tranches to ascend the stairs onto the stage, to be greeted by the Principal. The instructions as we entered the stage were clear: walk up to the Principal, shake his hand but don't forget to let go. I suppose the poor man had so many hands to shake he must have been on automatic pilot.
Today's ceremony was much less manic. The level of organisation was impressive, made easier by the fact that the week-long event is now carried out in bite-sized chunks. It is astonishing how they manage to get 200 plus graduates to enter the stage in the same order as the academic reading out the names.
This time I was on the stage, alongside the Deputy Mayor of Neath Port Talbot and a dozen academics dressed in robes of many colours according to their qualification and alma mater. I was wearing the Deputy Lord Mayor robes and chain. Fortunately, the Great Hall in the Bay Campus is air-conditioned.
It is traditional for the Lord Mayor or his Deputy to attend as many of the degree ceremonies for Swansea University and the University of Wales Trinity St David as they are able to as schedules allow.
In all I sat through two ceremonies, complete with poems, prose and song. It was certainly a different sort of event to the one I attended 37 years ago. And each and every one of those graduates, their relatives and friends will be able to look back on this day as an important staging post in their life as they move onto bigger and better things.
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