Graduation in London: Goal achieved

Graduation, which was the reason I went to London this past March, happened on Tuesday morning at the Barbican Centre -- and it was the highlight of the six-day trip.

For five years, my nights, weekends, holidays and whatever time I could free-up from my work as a copywriter were invested toward this goal. In a city that would host the Olympic Games in just a few months, I already felt like the recipient of a gold medal in perseverance.

Photos from that morning tell the rest of the story.

The Barbican Centre rises on approach

Barbican Centre entrance

The view upon entering. This must really be happening...

Yours truly and fellow-graduate Steve in front

of the photo-op backdrop before the ceremony

Steve's family: Margaret & David, a.k.a. "M&D" (step-mom and dad),

 Steve, and his sister Jacqui. They had all taken the train in from Woking,

 a city of approximately 100,000 about 30 miles southwest of London. M & D,

reside in the county of Dorset. Situated on the southern coast of

 the English Channel, Dorset is known for its breathtaking beauty.

A good shot showing our "hoods" from the back. Unfolded, they look

 like something like an article of medieval clothing called a "liripe,"

and they're almost impossible to fit onto yourself without help. Each

 program of study was represented by a different color. Ours was

a lovely pale yellow.

The attire of the woman to Steve's left illustrates the diversity

 of graduates' home countries.

The stage is set before the ceremony. University of London faculty

sit in the chair rows beneath the banner. The large chair at front is for

the regent of the university (Princess Anne or "The Princess Royal,"

as she is referred to by the British). We did not learn until just before

the ceremony that she would actually be there to preside. Unfortunately,

the taking of photos during the ceremony was prohibited
 with the warning"we will shoot you if you do it..."

The venue begins to fill with graduates

I do have screenshots of the ceremony's Webcast, including a close-up of

Princess Anne delivering the opening address. However, my request

for permission to use them is still awaiting an answer from the university.

In the meantime, you can watch a streaming video of the ceremony here,

if you wish.The arrival of Princess Anne occurs at about 2:00 in the time code.

(Our group starts crossing the stage at about 81:30.)

According to a recently heard PBS program, Princess Anne's calendar is filled with more

than 500 appearances each year, so we were fortunate that our morning

ceremony was among them. With around 800 graduates and in the interest

of time, the event was divided into a morning and an afternoon ceremony,

and she did not preside over the afternoon ceremony.

As the ceremony drew to a close, I decided that the risk of actually

 being shot was low -- so I quickly pulled out my camera, aimed

 and clicked. That explains the poor focus, but you can still tell that

the figure front and center is the Princess Royal.

After the ceremony: Our row of eight graduating

with the MSc in organizational psychology

Also after the ceremony: We were not all able to find one another

for a group photo, though a few of us managed it. The students I knew

included Lucinda from St. Kitts (far left), Barbara (Canadian

& Austrian), and Steve (in back) (British living in Geneva). Also in the back

row are Chris (hat and orange robe), who is head of the our program,

and Andrew, a favorite tutor (professor).

As you can see, the hoods don't stay in place by themselves. They

 are meant to be anchored beneath a necktie or held by a button.

I made do with bobbie pins. Language FYI: The British do not

"rent" their caps and gowns; they "hire" them.

An after-ceremony shot of Chris, director of our program, and Lee,

who holds it all together from an administrative perspective. Note that

Chris' robe and hat are the official ceremonial regalia for University of London Ph.D.s.

Three of our eight MSc OP graduates: Steve, me,

and Patty, who lives in Germany but is from Ecuador