Graduates celebrate hard work

CELEBRATION MARCH: UCOL graduates and supporters march along Ridgway St on Thursday.PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Whanganui UCOL graduates got a break in the weather on Thursday and marched up Victoria Ave to Rigway St and along Drews Ave to the UCOL campus led by drummers from Brass Wanganui.

More than 400 students graduated from 36 courses and UCOL council chairman Malcolm Inglis said it was great to see numbers of graduates up from last year.

"The enrolments are up this year as well so there will be even more graduates this time next year," he said.

Mr Inglis said the graduation ceremony at the Royal Wanganui Opera House was an uplifting one, and it was gratifying to see people "who had made sacrifices and worked very hard" to reach their goals.

Friends and family members accompanied the graduates on the march to the campus with a show of gold balloons, bouquets and cheers along the way.