On Friday 21st July the Class of 2023 graduated in the historic Canterbury Cathedral. Before this formal ceremony we were able to meet and celebrate your achievements with you and all your famalies and an informal reception at Westage Hall.
Professor Miguel Leon Ledesma addressed the gathering finalists, and thier guests, acknowledging the context of a global pandemic that this cohort bravely undertook their degrees during.
‘A journey that started off as a challenge during difficult times and that I hope we’ve managed to make up for in these last two years.’ he told them ‘A journey that surely has changed all of you and from which you take home a lot thanks to your efforts, your friends and colleagues, your families, and the exceptional job that my colleagues at the School of Economics have made. Think of who you were 3 or 4 years ago and think of who you are now. That’s a key role of higher education.’
‘Let celebrations be in excess supply today!’
‘I know you will all do well, and you will become true poster examples of the quality education we provide in Economics at Kent.; he continued ‘You are a group of highly skilled and well-prepared individuals and that now you also have a role to play in shaping society the way you want it. It’s your time to give back too. And this is better achieved as a group. University gives you education, but also a closely knit network of friends who have shared experiences and hence tend to think alike. I hope you all keep that Class of 2023 spirit alive and stay connected, form a community, and help each other. This is more important than ever in turbulent times.’
He then went on to award and congratulate this year’s prize winners.
Nick May Prize Best Stage 3 performance – Shu Rou Ng
Best dissertation Highest dissertation mark – Shu Rou Ng & Devante Hiles
Thirlwall Prize – highest mark in EC540 – Shu Rou Ng & Ahren Gupta
UG Outstanding performance to – Shu Rou Ng
Daniel Trotter Prize – Shivali Raichura
Student Experience Prize, Outstanding contribution to Student Experience activities in the School – Shivali Raichura; Joshua Cheeseman
As Leon Ledesma reiterated, we want to keep in touch with you! So, do keep us personally posted! ‘You won’t be surprised to know that this is a source of enormous satisfaction for us.’
Join the Kent Alumni Network and keep up to date with our insta!