Among the university graduates parading through the Tauranga CBD yesterday was the first student to complete an entire marine PhD based in the Bay of Plenty.
Devonport Rd was closed as more than 100 Tauranga graduates of Waikato University and Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology programmes had their parade, supported by family and friends.
They were then bused to ASB Baypark for their graduation ceremony.
There were plenty of inspiring tales among the graduates.
Linda Brown from Te Puna took "four years and a baby" to complete her masters in education.
"If I can do it, anyone can."
Te Puke mum-of-five, nan-of two and bachelor of social work graduate Tangi Walters at one time attended school at the same time as four of her children.
"The first year of the degree, I felt like I was in a washing machine. I had to learn the academic speak, which was like another language. I would write down things I didn't understand and Google them later. Google was my saviour," she said.
French-born Julien Huteau was awarded his PhD following years of research into the effects and impacts of contaminants and pollution on seafood stocks in the Bay of Plenty.
He had been an ecologist at the Bay of Plenty Regional Council when he met newly-appointed Chair of Coastal Sciences, and marine studies professor, Chris Battershill.
A marine centre was planned for the Tauranga campus, but was still in its early stages when Mr Huteau began his research, with Mr Battershill as his supervisor.
Being able to study in Tauranga meant more than being handy to his research area, Mr Huteau said.
"It meant a lot to be able to live locally in Tauranga, and to stay connected with this place.
"It was an opportunity to not only do something I care about in a place I care for, but to do it with the people I wanted to work with."
Professor Battershill, said Mr Huteau was the "first ever 100% Tauranga-based marine PhD student" to graduate.
There were three or four more coming through the Tauranga programme, making use of the University of Waikato's Coastal Marine Field Station at Sulphur Pt, established in December 2011.
"I hope he's the first of many," Professor Battershill said.
Mr Huteau's "sense of adventure" drew him to New Zealand in 2007 when he was the 21-year-old holder of a masters of oceanography.
During his time as a student in Tauranga he lent his expertise to the clean-up effort following the Rena spill.
He said he was now working fulltime for a Tauranga based biosecurity company, as the first scientist on the team.