Over 2,600 students from Kingston University (KU) are celebrating graduation since last Thursday, while several community stalwarts are also being recognised with honorary degrees.

The graduation ceremonies, which continue this week, are being held at Kingston's beloved Rose Theatre.

Since Thursday, undergraduate and postgraduate students from KU's Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing (Kingston SEC) and Faculty of Business and Social Sciences have been crossing stage to collect their degrees.

Ceremonies for students from the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education – run jointly with St George’s, University of London – and Kingston School of Art will also take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Surrey Comet: Media t echnology graduate Harriet Egbonimali and her familyMedia t echnology graduate Harriet Egbonimali and her family

A number of well-known personalities, including Sir Brian Leveson, who authored the ground-breaking Leveson Leveson Inquiry into media ethics and practice, were handed honorary degrees.

One of the students graduating on Thursday (July 19) was Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics graduate Devaki Amin, who gave the vote of thanks speech at her Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing ceremony.

Speaking to the Comet, Ms Amin described how the confidence and skills she gained during her degree had helped her take what might previously have been an intimidating scenario in her stride.

"It was absolutely brilliant!" Ms Amin — who also runs a Henna art business in Kingston — said of the vote of thanks speech she gave on Thursday.

"I've never spoken like that in front of such a big audience but it was a really epic experience.

"I've helped do some entrepreneurial work at the university and its been really nice to go beyond my course subjects like that and put myself out of my comfort zone.

"If I hadn't done that entrepreneurial placement scheme with the uni, my public speaking and confidence with communication would not have been enough for me to stand up there on graduation day and talk in front of that many people."

Ms Amin described how KU offers placements across a range of courses at the university, and how her particular choice had spurred her on to reach beyond the academia of her studies.

"The placement and also being a student ambassador for the university meant that I was slowly but surely being put in situations where I was around more and more people and started speaking publicly.

"But when I first started at KU I was the most introverted person!" Ms Amin recalled.

"As I said in my speech, the difference I see in myself between when I started at the university and now was absolutely massive...it's been really valuable," she added.

Meanwhile, several stalwarts of the community received honorary degrees from KU over the last few days.

One of those was Sir Brian Leveson, who was awarded an honorary doctorate of the arts by Kingston School of Art.

Another was Kingstonian campaigner John Azah, head of Kingston Race and Equalities Council (KREC).

In a video posted to Twitter, Mr Azah described his thrill at being recognised by the university for his tireless efforts to promote harmony in the borough, as the Comet previously reported on.

"It's a real privilege for someone to think about the work that I've been doing in Kingston. Almost 20 years ago I set up Kingston Carnival and everyone thought it wouldn't take off, but 20 years on it's become the biggest celebration in the borough.

"We've also founded a number of BAME organizations including Refugee Action Kingston...Kingston has allowed me to flourish," Mr Azah said.

Surrey Comet: Course director and senior lecturer in marketing Dr Marvyn Boatswain grabs a selfie with business management graduate Bettina Gardasz, who gave the vote of thanks at her Faculty of Business and Social Sciences ceremonyCourse director and senior lecturer in marketing Dr Marvyn Boatswain grabs a selfie with business management graduate Bettina Gardasz, who gave the vote of thanks at her Faculty of Business and Social Sciences ceremony

Mr Azah also offered a slice of the advice he gave some of those KU students who graduated in the last few days.

"If you study very hard and are successful, your brain will set you free," he said.

From KU's side of things, Course director and senior lecturer in marketing Dr Marvyn Boatswain, from the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, described the university's approach to graduation as a communal experience for the wider borough community.

"Words can’t express what these moments mean - graduation marks our students’ amazing accomplishments and all the hard work they’ve put in.

"Graduation is not just a Kingston University thing, but a Kingston community thing.

"When you walk through the market area on a day like today it’s just so wonderful, it really brings home that sense of a community coming together," he said.