HUNDREDS of students donned their caps and gowns for the opening graduation celebrations at Glyndwr University.
Degrees were presented yesterday in creative industries, media, performance, humanities, sport and exercise sciences, health and medical sciences, nursing and occupational therapy and psychology.
Collecting a degree in design illustration was Gary Buckley, 27, from Wigan, who overcame difficulties with reading and writing after a car accident when he was 11.
Mr Buckley said: “I always wanted to go to university and I knew I had the ability to succeed. It’s been challenging at times, particularly with some of the written work, but the university has been brilliant in helping me with that.
“They’ve helped me to find alternative ways of presenting my work, such as visual essays and recording into film, and I can’t thank them enough.”
Collecting a research degree yesterday was one of the region’s oldest students, the Rev Sidney Gilbert, 76.
Retired cleric Mr Gilbert was born in Wrexham and during his career worked in Brymbo, Bwlchgwyn, Penley and Bettisfield. He now lives in Helsby.
His research focused on the lives of clergy after retirement.
He said: “When I started on this research there had been very little written on the subject, so I was breaking new ground in the material I was collecting.”
Dr Emyr Williams, second supervisor on Mr Gilbert’s work, said: “The work he has carried out will inform activity on the MSc psychology of religion course at Glyndwr University.
“We wish Sidney every success in writing up his work for publication and we look forward to working collaboratively with Sidney on that.”
Hundreds more students are set to receive their awards today. The subjects being awarded certificates, diplomas and degrees include childhood and family studies and education at 10.30am and management at 2.30pm.
The final day of graduation awards will take place tomorrow.