Hundreds of students graduate as Fife College plans first ever relaxed ceremony

Four ceremonies took place at St Bryce Kirk, Kirkcaldy, with 470 students crossing the stage to graduate in a range of qualifications including degrees and diplomas.

Family and friends of students, along with staff and guests celebrated their hard work and commitment with around ,000 people attending. After each ceremony, graduates and guests carried on the celebrations at a drinks reception in the atrium of the college’s Kirkcaldy campus.

The college will also be piloting its first-ever relaxed graduation experience on Monday (January 29) for students who may find attending the traditional ceremony overwhelming. It has designed the relaxed alternative to support their students with learning difficulties, autism, social anxiety, or sensory processing difficulties.

Among the first students to graduate earlier this week were brother and sister Jordan Anderson and Sara Haldane, from Dunfermline, who graduated together from HND Social Sciences.

Sara said: "I’m really proud of us. It was great for our whole family to be here. The best part of the course for me was studying with Jordan. He got me through it."

Sara is now studying at the Open University in collaboration with Fife College working towards her BA. Of her time at Fife College she said: “It has a great reputation around Fife for being really supportive. When I was considering going back into education, I knew it had to be here."

Jordan said: "After returning a few years after my HNC, it was a total surprise for us to be studying together and now graduating side by side."

Dorothee Leslie, vice-principal, paid tribute, adding: “Graduation is always a special occasion. Each ceremony allows us time to reflect and celebrate the hard work and dedication shown by our students during their time at college.

“We take immense pride in knowing that, due to the investment each of them has made in their studies, our 2022/23 graduates will go on to achieve great things in their further studies and chosen careers. We wish them all the very best for the future.”