It's been a lovely week for graduations. They started on Wednesday with the oldest colleges and work towards the newest. This was a Churchill College group and they received their Royal Charter in 1960 so they are nearly at the end but not quite. On the other side of the steps is a group of academics who come to greet and congratulate specific students - a nice touch if you're one of those and they were obviously very proud.
Three GT
1. Always photo ops in town on a Saturday.
2. Churchill College is 64 years old and has been home to 29 Nobel Prize Winners.
3. They keep Adam employed waitering.
PS The title - the congregation has to state 'Placet' or 'Non placet' at the ceremony - 'It pleases' or 'It does not please'. Non placet is normally reserved for votes on other matters than graduation luckily.
On the way http://365project.org/judithg/extras/2014-06-28
Do they do some graduation ceremonies outside then Judith?
Great photo of the handshake........the perspective gives this gesture great importance.....
Good shot, Judith. I opted out of the graduation ceremonies this year - find the benches rather uncomfortable! But of course, there would have been good photo opps, which I'd not even thought about!
@happypat they are all in the Senate House which is behind the railings on the left. There's an efficient cycling of people in and out. Parents etc through the side doors then the graduands parade down and enter the front door. They go up 4 across, hold a finger of the praelector while the Latin stuff is done then kneel before the vice chancellor for some prayers, get up and exit through the side door shown here. They then turn left through a gate for photos & certificates. When they're all through the parents move outside for photos and the next lot enter. The ceremony is something like that anyway - @dolphin will correct - she's witnessed a lot more than I have!! You get a bit more individual attention & hand holding for a PhD but not so good on the before/after party (just curry for lunch with the fellows in my case!)
@judithg Yes I do indeed have a gown with red trimmings. Sometimes I go to graduation just so I can show it off - but each time I attach the red bits I think how bizarre that they're attached with paperclips and presstuds!
@dolphin you must feel very proud in your gown..... @judithg you must have had a wonderful day on your graduation......your dad & mum must have been over the moon...not every day you have a daughter graduate at Cambridge! Thank for the explanation.
@happypat yes they do it well but these are undergraduate only and they are a big extra special. The PhD ones are a bit more low key as far as the colleges go. You have to offer your hands in prayer style to the vice chancellor and my mum was waiting for me to fall over backwards when I looked up because he was so close to my face! I have a gown like @dolphin 's in the wardrobe but never get chance to wear it these days even without red bits - it's probably got moths in it!
Great to hear about the graduation ceremonies and you have caught the pleasure in this guys pose and smile for the reward for all the work he has put in! They do like their latin, don't they!
Great photo of the handshake........the perspective gives this gesture great importance.....