Tag: graduation ceremonies

ENU student Sophia travels to celebrate graduation following recovery from colon cancer

A resilient Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) student has celebrated her graduation after recovering from colon cancer – and thanked the staff who supported her along the way.

Sophia McIntosh studied for a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from her home in Kingston, Jamaica, alongside her work as a university lecturer there.

She took time out from her studies after receiving her cancer diagnosis in 2019 but was later able to return to and complete the course.

Sophia crossed the stage at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on Wednesday to collect her degree, having travelled from the Caribbean with her mum for the ceremony.

Sophia said: “I am just so full of joy, not just for me but for all of my family members and friends who have supported me.

“I am happy that I went on this journey, I am liberated and more confident. The doctorate is the icing on the cake, but the journey has transformed me.

“I still have my thesis on leadership sitting on my table at home and sometimes I just open it to have a look!

“I’m so proud of myself – I never knew I had it in me to read and learn so much.”

Having felt unwell for some time, it was through a chance meeting with a doctor at church that Sophia was referred for health checks and discovered her cancer diagnosis.

She underwent surgery and chemotherapy in the autumn of 2019, followed by more treatment the following year.

She said: “When I was told the news, I just went numb. I was told we would have to move quickly and have surgery.

“All the horror stories about chemotherapy happened to me. I had complications from my surgery, and my parents came down from another part of Jamaica to look after me.

“I had two major surgeries, and we lost my adopted brother around the same time. But despite these traumatic events, I resumed my studies after the year.”

Sophia’s graduation comes after taking time out from the course because of illness and the Covid pandemic. She is now receiving checks every six months.

Now that Sophia has completed her degree, she has paid tribute to ENU staff members past and present who supported her, including Dr Ciarán McFadden-Young, Dr Janice McMillan, and Professor Gerri Matthews-Smith  – as well as Professor Alison McCleery, who sadly passed away last year.

“It was difficult going back to the doctorate, but my research supervisors helped me settle,” Sophie added. “They were patient with me and not judgemental. They were respectful and they gave me space.

“I can’t find the words to thank them – they held my hand. I never felt alone, I never felt unsafe. I had them all behind me.”

Sophia has graduated alongside fellow students from Edinburgh Napier University’s Business School today.

ENU’s autumn graduation ceremonies were held at the Usher Hall between 29 – 31 October.

Next stop graduation for hundreds of Edinburgh Napier University students

For the first time six ENU ceremonies will be held this autumn

More than 1,800 Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) students are on track to collect their degrees during a bumper week of graduations at the Usher Hall.

The number of autumn graduation ceremonies has increased to six for 2024 – and they coincide with the arrival an ENU addition to the Edinburgh Trams network.

The Must Be Napier branded tram will be carrying new graduates, friends, and family across the city as they celebrate their achievements.

The ceremonies will also see the return of The Napier Graduate pub, which will see Shakespeare’s on Lothian Road renamed and decked out in Edinburgh Napier red for the week.

For the new graduates, it is an opportunity to reflect on the completion of their studies.

35-year-old Steven Halloren (above) from Edinburgh will be among those crossing the stage, graduating with an MSc Human Resources Management. He took the decision to go to university to study part-time while continuing his career in business consulting.

He said: “Studying at Edinburgh Napier has been an amazing experience from start to finish.

“Going to university was a transformative decision, especially as a mature student. It’s a bit of a culture shock at first to balance the commitment on top of a busy career, but it has taught me to think and challenge myself.

“I did my dissertation on mergers and acquisitions from an organisational culture perspective, so I was able to apply it to work straight away.

“I’ve just started my doctorate, which is something I thought I would never do. It focusses on the role AI can play in the business world.

“Seeing the enthusiasm and passion from the academics at Edinburgh Napier has inspired me to keep going.”

Learning Disability Nursing Lecturer Sam Abdulla, whose picture features on the side of the Must Be Napier tram, will be watching another cohort of students graduate this week.

He said: “Graduation is without doubt the highlight of our year. It’s the reason we do what we do.

“Seeing our students celebrate alongside their families, loved ones and colleagues is a reminder of all the hard work they’ve put into their journey at Edinburgh Napier.

“I can’t wait to see the difference that our latest graduates will make and the careers they go on to build.”

Edinburgh Napier University’s autumn graduation ceremonies are taking place at the Usher Hall between 29-31 October.

Edinburgh Napier University celebrates its biggest graduation

One of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs, Shakespeare’s on Lothian Road, has been transformed in to The Napier Graduate once again to celebrate the University’s class of ’24.

More than 2,700 students and 9,000 guests will descend on the Usher Hall in Edinburgh to attend seven graduation ceremonies over the course of three days. The unique public house, The Napier Graduate,  will play host to celebrating graduates before and after each ceremony where they will have the chance to toast their success with a pint of Edinburgh Napier’s very own ale, ‘Must Be Napier’. 

The ‘Must Be Napier’ ale is a nod to Edinburgh Napier University’s award-winning brand campaign that is shining a spotlight on the achievements and major contributions to society of the University’s students, staff, and alumni.

For three days, from Wednesday 3 July to Friday 5July, Shakespeare’s will be known as The Napier Graduate. Unmissable from Lothian Road, the pub has been completely reimagined in Napier’s distinctive red and white colour palatte, changing everything from the outdoor signs to the beermats, the artwork and even the beer taps in celebration of the new alumni and providing a welcoming space to enjoy with families and loved ones. 

Edinburgh Napier University was recently awarded Higher Educational Institution of the Year at the 2024 Herald Higher Education Awards and is known for celebrating its graduates in unique ways.

From first launching the pub last year to when the University held a city takeover in 2021, displaying the names of graduates across 18 billboards, 100 bus stops, an Edinburgh Tram and a taxi. 

Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal and Vice Chancellor at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Celebrating our graduates is one of the highlights of the academic year and we had such a positive response to The Napier Graduate pub last year that we just simply had to bring it back again for the class of ’24. 

“The now iconic Napier Graduate pub is a wonderful space for our new alumni and their guests to celebrate their success and contemplate the next chapter after university. I look forward to raising a glass to toast their future.” 

Flo McMahon, General Manager of Shakespeare’s, said: “We’re really excited to transform into The Napier Graduate again this year.

“It is such a special time for both the staff and the wider community. Everyone gets caught up in the celebratory nature of the graduation days and we love being a part of that special moment.

“A record number of people visited us during last year’s graduations so we’ve made sure the bar is fully stocked!” 

The Napier Graduate is open from Wednesday 3 – Friday 5 July at 65 Lothian Road.

One of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs transformed into The Napier Graduate for the class of 2023

As over 2,500 students make their way to the Usher Hall in Edinburgh to attend their graduation ceremony, one of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs, Shakespeare’s on Lothian Road, has rebranded as The Napier Graduate in honour of the university’s class of ’23.

For three days only from Wednesday 5 July to Friday 7 July, Shakespeare’s will be known as The Napier Graduate. Capturing the celebratory mood of the graduates, the pub has been decked out in red and white Napier livery, changing everything from the outdoor signs to the beermats in tribute of the new graduates and providing a welcoming space to celebrate with families and loved ones.

July 2023 marks Edinburgh Napier University’s biggest graduation celebration to date with six ceremonies spread over three full days, honoring the graduates of all five of the University’s Schools.

To mark the occasion the original Shakespeare’s signage has been replaced with the new Napier branding resulting in a complete redesign of the pub to make it the place to celebrate after graduation.

Among those graduating are Eilidh Skye Denny, an aspiring lawyer who was the first in her family to attend university. Hailing from Greenock, Inverclyde, Eilidh has completed an LLB Law degree at Edinburgh Napier University’s Business School at the age of just twenty-two   and hopes to inspire other youngsters from less advantaged backgrounds.

Eilidh said: “Coming from a socially deprived area, as well as one of the poorest areas in Scotland, has been hard, but I have been able to challenge this and prove the statistics wrong, which has been rewarding.”

“My aim is to be able to inspire others who come from a similar area or background, to show that anything is possible when you put your mind to it and put the work in.”

This is not the first time Edinburgh Napier University has pulled out all the stops to celebrate its graduates. In 2021, the University held a city takeover, which saw the name of graduates displayed across 18 billboards, 100 bus stops, an Edinburgh Tram, and a taxi, accompanied by messages underlining the University’s pride in them and offering congratulations on their success. 

Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal and Vice Chancellor at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Graduations in the Usher Hall are the highlight of the year for me and Shakespeare’s has been synonymous with celebrations after our ceremonies for as long as I can remember.

“To support recognition of the achievements of our class of ’23, we are dedicating a special place for them to celebrate with family and friends. The warm and welcoming staff at the newly named The Napier Graduate are the perfect hosts to help raise a toast to our new graduates as they embark on their next chapter after university.”

Izzy Polson, General Manager of Shakespeare’s said: “We love welcoming the new graduates to the pub each year. It’s always such a fun and celebratory time so we were delighted to be rebranded as The Napier Graduate to make this year even more special.

“As one of Edinburgh’s oldest pubs, Shakespeare’s was built at the same time as many of the theatres of the area, so you never know, I could be serving the next Shakespeare!”

The Napier Graduate is open from Wednesday 5 July to Friday 7 July 2023 at 65 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2DJ.