We were delighted to welcome a group of 1975 alumni back to Canterbury on Friday 25 July 2025 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their graduation from Kent.
The Golden Graduation ceremony took place at the end of a busy week of Congregations in Canterbury Cathedral. Professor Dr John Todd, who was one of the University’s founding academics and taught several of our golden graduates more than fifty years ago, read their names as they proudly processed through the ceremony.
Those returning for the ceremony were presented with a celebration certificate, an official photo, and a commemorative 50th anniversary cap.
Afterwards, our Golden Graduates and their guests were invited to join a congratulatory lunch at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, which was attended by the University’s Acting Vice Chancellor, Georgina Randsley de Moura.
The event provided a unique opportunity for alumni to commemorate their decades-long relationship with the university and reconnect with their graduating class. By celebrating this significant milestone, each former Kent student was able to look back on their paths forged post-graduation and it was a pleasure to hear their memories of what it was like to study at Kent in the 1970s.
Clive Mason (Chemistry, 1975)
“Being in Keynes College, the things we will all remember are the duck pond and playing croquet. One of the funniest stories is when someone pressed the fire alarm in the lab so we had to evacuate and could go back to the pub rather than having to start working”.
Jo Harrison (Sociology, 1975)
“I remember the day word got around that the phone booths weren’t taking money so calls were free! There were queues all throughout Keynes”.
Jill Evans (Law, 1975)
“I remember finishing supper in Rutherford College and then running down through the fields for a rehearsal. With the Cathedral visible and the sun shining – it was like something out of a fantastic movie”.
