Summer Graduations underway: The stories, people and moments behind every graduate
14 Jul 2026
Every graduate has a story. As summer graduations get underway, three students look back on the people and experiences that shaped theirs.
For three students on the edge of graduation, Manchester has stopped being just the place they came to study.
Anna, Emilia and Wafia are getting ready to cross the stage in Whitworth Hall and close the door on their time as students at The University of Manchester. When we asked what they'll remember most, all three came back to the same answer: the people.
They talked about the lecturer who made a subject click, or the person who said the right thing at exactly the right moment. They talked about the people around campus who quietly made things easier, often without ever knowing it.
Over the next two weeks, students will celebrate with family and friends. For colleagues, graduation is also worth a pause, a chance to recognise the part they played in getting those students here.
More than just a degree
We spoke to Anna, who studied an integrated masters in Environmental Science with Industrial Experience in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Emilia, who studied BA Drama in the Faculty of Humanities, and Wafia, who studied Medicine in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, ahead of their ceremonies, about what Manchester has meant to them.
"Manchester is such an amazing place, and I'm so glad I came here," said Anna. "I've met so many people I've cherished, and they're going to be my best friends for life."
For Emilia, it's tied to place as much as people.
"There are cafes and corners of campus that not a lot of students know about," she said. "It's a really lovely place to study, to talk with friends."
Wafia said graduation feels both exciting and strange.
"It's something you've worked towards for so long that it doesn't quite feel real when it's finally here. I'm really looking forward to celebrating, but I know there are going to be some emotional moments too."
The people behind the story
All three kept coming back to the people who got them here, not just the teaching, but the wider support that carried them through.
"There's been so many people, and it's not just academic support," said Wafia. "I'd say it takes a village to make a medical student become a doctor."
"They've been so supportive, so kind, always happy to take time with you," Emilia said, of her course staff. "Not just on an academic level. They take an interest in your life and your career, which is unique."
Wafia's parents immigrated to the UK from Bangladesh in the 1990s, and her whole family, her mum, dad, four siblings and their partners, and her sister's two children, will be there to watch her graduate.
"My parents, I don't think I can put into words how much it means to them," she said. "They've done this degree as much as I have, sometimes more, in terms of the level of support you get. You can go home and there's just that care you can't get anywhere else."
"To go from a student whose parents immigrated here in the 90s, to being at this prestigious university surrounded by all these clever people, it made a goal I'd never really thought I could achieve feel realistic."
For Emilia, graduation means something similar for her parents, neither of whom went to university themselves.
"It's a very exciting day for my parents," she said. "My dad in particular is really excited, and it'll be a really wonderful thing to get to see him in the audience. The University of Manchester is so special because he's a Mancunian himself. To be able to see his face, and know that it's what got me to this point, is going to be a really wonderful experience."
One last look back
For our students, graduation is the moment when everything they've been through finally lands.
"I can't believe I've got to the place that I'm at," said Wafia, "but it's testament to everybody around me, and all of the support I've received."
As graduation gets underway, the students had one message for colleagues across the University.
"I'd say a massive thank you to everyone who supported me through the entire duration of university," said Anna. "Everyone's been really supportive, helped me grow and learn."
"To everyone that supported me," said Wafia, "I just want to say thank you. The gratitude can't be overstated."
Asked if she'll miss being here, Wafia paused.
"Oh, don't make me cry. I will. I definitely will. I already do."
Graduation information for colleagues
Even if you're not directly involved in the ceremonies, you may be asked for directions or information. The Graduation FAQs are a great place to find answers to common questions – including where to collect gowns, how to find Whitworth Hall, ceremony schedules, ticketing and accessibility details.
- You can view the FAQs here: Graduation FAQs
- You can also view the schedule of ceremonies