LUC The Hague: Celebrating Class of 2020 ½ and 2021
Last Friday, Leiden University College The Hague (LUC) celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2020 ½ and 2021. The 186 students received their Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree’s in LUC’s interdisciplinary honours programme Liberal Arts & Sciences: Global Challenges. Under the silver- blue sparkle of a decorated Wijnhaven campus graduates received their diploma's to the applause of their guests including family, friends and loved ones.
The Power of Education
Early in the morning, a traditional ceremony took place online via a live stream starting off with a formal opening by Dean Prof. Dr. Judi Mesman. The tradition of inviting a commencement speaker was continued even in the online format. LUC had the pleasure of receiving a speech from Ms. Jayathama Wickramanayake – the Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth from the United Nations. The envoy shared her deepest congratulations and inspirational words that the graduating class connected to. She and urged the classs of 2021 to reflect on the opportunity that a great education brings and their capacity to use the power of education to bring about transformational change
Awards and Recognitions
The online ceremony attracted over 1000 viewers from around the world to celebrate the 9th cohort of Leiden University’s internationals honours college heading out into the world. The online ceremony included a handful of recognitions and awards including Class Valedictorian, the Aernout van Lynden Global Citizenship Award and the Brill Prize awarded to the best thesis of merit.
-
A group of LUC graduates ready to leave the Anna van Buerenplein to join the ceremony in Wijnhaven -
The Graduation 'Photowall' -
A group of graduates entering the Wijnhaven building: ready to recieve their diploma's -
Friends, family and guests joining in on the celebration
Walk-through Ceremony
Only a stone throw away from the residential college of LUC at the Anna van Buerenplein, the Wijnhaven building of Campus The Hague was the venue for the in-person celebration for the graduates and their guests. Due to the current regulations, this part of the celebrations consisted of a walk-through ceremony on the outside terrace. Over the course of the afternoon graduates dressed in caps and gowns, walked in small groups of 15 to 20 students in a procession that led them from the Anna van Buerenplein to the entrance of Wijnhaven which served as the venue for the in-person celebration for the graduates. Here the official awarding of the diploma took place with the Dean. Graduates celebrated with their family, friends and a number of academic staff that joined there on the terrace. The hybrid celebration was a first for LUC, which celebrated last year’s graduation solely online.
Under the bright sun on the terrace of Wijnhaven, graduates, guests and staff joined in on the celebration and toasted to the success of the class of 2020 ½ and 2021.
Article written by Tim Roumen, Elizabeth Zeller and Jayne Fitzgerald.
Leiden University College The Hague offers a broad, flexible and interdisciplinary residential Liberal Arts and Sciences programme with a focus on Global Challenges. In this bachelor programme students specialise in relevant fields like world politics, economics, governance, international justice, human & cultural interaction, global public health and environmental sciences.