It has been a few months and my old lady memory has faded, but thought some of you might enjoy hearing about ceremony day!
Son graduated in the fall with an MSc in Financial Economics from Oriel College. We were allowed 3 tickets with zero option for the college to provide additional seats. We were fortunate that he was able to secure an extra one via a classmate. The day began for the students with some events at the college and then they arrived at the Bodleian as a group fully dressed in the subfusc requirements for the their pre graduation status. Son already had a masters in electrical engineering from a US university, but was not allowed to wear that robe or hood as the degree did not come from Oxford. They carried with them their robes and hoods for their soon to be degree and left them in an organized fashion to the changed into mid ceremony. They entered the back of Sheldonian and took their seats. Because this was a fall graduation there were multiple colleges involved. The students were seated by college and by degree DPhil, MSc, BA, etc.
There was quite a bit of latin, standing and bowing and then the ceremony went in order of simliar Doctorate, Masters and Bachelors first by degree and then by school. All names were read, the student were taken by their dean or tutor to be presented to the Chancellor where there was more latin and bowing. Then the group (say all masters) were marched out the back door of the Sheldonian where they changed into their new robes and hoods and were marched back in for more latin, bowing and clapping.
It really was fun to watch.
To enter the ceremony, we lined up maybe 20 minutes early. There were entrance lines at both the Broad Street and Catte Street entrances. You sit where you are told to sit and if that bench is supposed to hold 10 people then you need to make room for 10 people. We ended up on the side up a couple of levels and lucked out as our son was directly across!. There were people who needed handicapped seating an in some cases they allowed one person to sit with them and in others only the person needed that seating was allowed.
The students exited and then we made our way down. What an amazing experience to see your child among his peers in such a magnificent setting. May pics were taken. Looking back our only regret is that we didn’t turn around and get one with the Sheldonian in the background.
We are picture takers so we ended up being one of the last ones to arrive back at Oriel College for the luncheon. Might I just say they most of the food was gone, but the wine was still flowing! Lesson learned…eat first and then take photos in the quad. There was a professional photographer.
My son wanted to buy his robe and hood instead of renting. I think this was around $200. The robe is heavily embroidered (black on black) on the sleeves and down the front. I do not know if these are college specific.
The diploma itself is quite modern looking. I have to say…a bit of a let down as we were assuming it would be very formal in an old english font.