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Grand graduation ceremony to celebrate the University’s students

Last week was the final week of the semester at Halmstad University, and, in the best way possible, graduation week was wrapped up last Friday, with festivities and joy during a grand graduation ceremony in the University Hall.

The mood was on top when over 900 students gathered in the University Hall to celebrate their graduation together in a grand way, and be thanked for their years at the University.

For the first time in three years, the ceremony could now be organized in a physical format again. On the agenda was both entertainment, granting of awards and inspirational speeches.

Hosts for the ceremony were Halmstad Student Union President, Johanna Sjögren Eliasson, and Vice President, Jonathan Jaginder.

A women in a dress and a man in a suite are standing on a stage with bright background lights.Photo.

Johanna Sjögren Eliasson and Jonathan Jaginder led the ceremony.

Livestreamed ceremony

The ceremony was livestreamed on the University’s student web so that everyone that wanted to had the opportunity to follow the festivities. In addition, the ceremony was shown for family and friends on large screens in several rooms on campus.

First out to congratulate the students and wish them good luck in the future was Vice-Chancellor Stephen Hwang.

“All of you here today are winners. You have achieved the goal that some years ago seemed far, far away. You have fought your way through your studies and devoted many, many hours to get here, and now you have arrived. What an achievement by all of you! Congratulations from us at the University”, said Stephen Hwang.

A man is standing on a stage by a podium giving a speech. In front of him is an audience. Photo.

Vice-Chancellor Stephen Hwang spoke to this year’s graduands.

Alumnus of the Year award handed out for fifth year in a row

The graduation ceremony continued with the granting of the award Alumnus of the Year, which this year was handed out to Daniel Ekvall, Advisor in Sports Psychology for the men’s Swedish national football team.

The Alumnus of the Year explained in a video greeting that he is happy and proud of the award and that he looks back on the years at Halmstad University with joy.

"My time as a student meant a great learning. I am very grateful for all the wonderful teachers that I met, who stimulated to a continued learning and passed on the importance of a scientific approach that I really have gotten use from during my working life”, said Daniel Ekvall.

A man on a stage is giving a speech. Behind the stage to the left is a large tv-screen with a portrait photo of a man displayed. Photo.

The award Alumnus of the Year, that was handed out for the fifth time, was handed out by Anders Nelson, Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor.

One student at every School became Student of the Year

Students were also recognized at the ceremony as the award Student of the Year was handed out to one student from each School that has distinguished themselves a little extra during their studies. The award has been handed out since 2018.

This year, the award for Student of the Year went to Nadia Benamer at the School of Information Technology, Hanna Kjell at the School of Business, Innovation and Sustainability, David Sonne at the School of Health and Welfare and Filippa Söderström at the School of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences. They received diplomas and flowers from Deputy Vice-Chancellor Malin Hallén.

The four winners got to answer questions about their plans for the summer and the future, and about what it’s been like to study at Halmstad University.

“I’ve had the honor to represent in several boards where I have gained many memories. I also had a great class that I wouldn't change for the world”, said David Sonne and answered the question about what had been the most fun during the time as a student at the University:

“All of the great people that I have met here in Halmstad”.

Four persons are standing on a stage with diplomas and flowers in their hands. On the right is a man in a suite that's talking to them. Photo.

One student from every School got the award Student of the Year.

The graduation ceremony was completed by a speech from the President of Halmstad Student Union, Johanna Sjögren Eliasson, who encouraged the students to make the most of their newly gained knowledge after graduation:

“To you who now finish your studies at Halmstad University I want to say that this is when it all begins. This is when you start your journey to make an impact on the world and the reality we live in. This is when you can contribute to a changed world and create the best conditions for the next generation and many generations to come”.

With party music in the speakers and under a rain of confetti, the students were finally let out in to the summer where they took their first steps after the years at the University, now with an education at hand.

A discjockey is standing on a stage by a mixer table. Confetti is raining down. Photo.

The ceremony was completed with music from the DJ Filip Dalhielm and a rain of confetti.

Fairs and granting of scholarships – according to tradition

The graduation ceremony rounded up the last week of the semester at Halmstad University, an active week with both fairs and granting of scholarships.

The University’s annual graduation fair Utexpo, that turned 40 this year, was organised in building S on campus. In total, over 100 graduation projects were displayed for employers, supervisors, the business sector and the public, and scholarships were handed out from partner companies and organisations. New this year was the scholarship from Getinge Streilization of 100 000 SEK in total. The goal is to stimulate admirable graduation projects in health innovation, with high quality and relevance.

Apart from the scholarships at Utexpo, students also received scholarships from Sten Fåhré’s Foundation, the Swedish Association of Health Professionals and In memory of Georgi. The last of the three is handed out to students that, amongst other things, have shown a particular interest in mathematics and have contributed to other students raised interest in the subject.

The scholarships from Sten Fåhré’s Foundation is encouraging creativity and entrepreneurship and was handed out for the first time in 2004. The scholarships are mainly for students at the Programme in Innovation Engineering. This year, scholarships of around 400 000 SEK in total were handed out from the foundation.

Another of the fairs during the week was Hälsoexpo where the students from the programme Health Education presented health related assignments that they had planned and implemented during their placement studies. During the week the fair Praktikexpo also took place, where the last year-students at the programme Language, Text Editing and Digital Communication displayed what they have learned during their internship period.

”The best thing about the internship has been to leave your comfortzone. I went from reading course literature and writing formal texts to write in a more personal manner and take a step out in the working life”, said Fatime Pllana, who had her internship at Vamé, where she wrote for the tourist magazine Juni Juli Augusti.

Text: Thimmy Mård
Photo: Dan Bergmark

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