STUDENTS from Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) are celebrating their graduation at the recently developed Atirum.

The university in High Wycombe town centre held its winter graduation last week, a first in its history, with the celebrations taking place in the newly redeveloped Atrium and Beeches restaurant in its Dove building.

Hundreds of students, adorned in the university's traditional red and grey gowns and black mortarboards, were recognised and celebrated from various academic Schools, including those of nursing, health and social care, aviation, creative and digital industries, business, and law.

Students gathered for memorable photographs before proceeding to the Wycombe Swan Theatre for the main ceremony.

Post-graduation festivities took place in the Atrium and Beeches restaurant, part of the new Dove building.

This new addition to the BNU infrastructure, completed in November, includes the Winter Garden, Atrium and Roof Garden.

This revamped space honours the efforts of Dame Frances Dove, renowned women's rights campaigner and founder of Wycombe Abbey.

During the ceremony, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Master of Ceremonies Professor Damien Page said: "Graduation is always special but, for universities like ours, it holds extra meaning.

"Our students are often the first in their family to enter HE; for them, higher education is transformational.

"Graduation is more than a celebration; our students achieve generational change and they enter careers that make a real impact."

Professor Nick Braisby, Vice-Chancellor of Buckinghamshire New University, at the opening ceremony stated: "We are enormously proud to celebrate your achievements and offer you our very best wishes for the future.

"You have worked hard, overcome many challenges, and have now achieved success.

"Upon graduating your involvement with the University does not stop – you are members of the BNU family."

Beyond academic achievement, the university also recognised the dedication of graduates and awarded internal prizes.

Among the notable students, Andrea Coope from the School of Health and Social Care won the Best Overall Performance award.

She said: "It’s a testament to all my hard work and support of my family, but also to the quality of the teachers and lecturers at BNU.

"A lot of lecturers have social work backgrounds and know what it takes to make social work students successful."

Additionally, Ruth Elmore, an Operating Department Practice student not only graduated with a first-class honours degree but also bagged the Best Performance in a Dissertation award.

Speaking on Ruth’s accomplishment, Associate Professor in Operating Department Practice, Shane Roadnight, said: "Not only was Ruth extremely committed, but she also relentlessly strove to be the best she could to enable her to deliver care of the highest quality throughout the rest of her career."

Buckinghamshire New University offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses across various Schools.

More information and how to apply for courses starting in September 2024 are available at bucks.ac.uk.