HUNDREDS of students celebrated the conclusion of months of hard study with their graduation ceremony at Chester Cathedral on Friday.
About 600 University of Chester students were awarded degrees, congratulated by university chancellor the Duke of Westminster and vice chancellor Professor Tim Wheeler.
Among those receiving their degrees were up-and-coming alternative folk pop band Sparrowhawks.
The Chester-based quartet, comprising Sophie Ballamy (vocals and guitar), Jay Ronan (guitar and vocals), Ben Griffiths (bass and vocals) and Ash Turner (drums and vocals), graduated from the new one-year MA popular music course.
The band has already released a three-track EP which has received a great deal of interest as well as reviews and airplay on BBC Wales and Amazing Radio.
Ash, 23, originally from Wolverhampton, said: “The immediate plan is to keep the momentum going and to have fun with it!”
Another graduate celebrating last Friday was 52-year-old Chester man Mike Skinner, as he became the third member of his family to graduate from the university.
His wife Maria, the university’s student skills development manager, studied for her combined English with history degree, while his stepdaughter Lara White gained a degree in drama and theatre studies.
He embarked on an MSc in management at the Business School.
