Celebrating the class of 2024 – and the ‘Mildert Spirit’

By: Debbie Mayne
Date: July 2024

In 24 Congregation ceremonies this Summer, we have celebrated the success of almost 6,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students across all four of our faculties and all 17 of our colleges. 

The ceremonies took place in the magnificent Durham Cathedral, where our graduates were joined by family, friends and the wider University community to mark this special rite of passage.  

College celebrations 

Alongside the formal ceremonies, Durham’s network of colleges has been celebrating with their own Classes of ‘24. Van Mildert College held three Graduation Dinners between 26 June and 2 July. The dinners were hosted by College Principal Tom Mole in the College’s Ann Dobson dining hall, which is the largest student dining hall in the UK.   

College Principal Professor Tom Mole welcomed more than 220 students and guests over the three evenings to share his warmest congratulations. He referred to the unusual journey of this Class of 2024, who began their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been an integral part of the College through its post-pandemic recovery. In his speech, Tom spoke of the importance of the community at Van Mildert, describing it as ‘a community full of people who are changing themselves and, in the process, are changing the world one tiny bit at a time.’  

He spoke of his pride in both the intellectual and personal development of the students, describing the extensive range of experiences on offer at Durham as the ‘hidden curriculum’ 

‘I predict that when you look back on your time at university, some of the most valuable lessons will have been those you learnt from one another.  At Van Mildert we don’t provide a programme of personal development, we provide a space where you can take responsibility for your own development.’ A lovely analogy of Prebends Bridge illustrated the student journey; students pass over the bridge on their way to matriculation at the start of their Durham journey, and then again on their way to their Congregation ceremony. Tom said 

‘The person who crosses the bridge on the way back from Graduation is not the same as the one who crossed the bridge on the way to Matriculation.  In between, you’ve changed.’ 

He paid tribute to the work of the JCR President, Storm Rothwell and Financial and Commercial Services Officer Adam Bakewell, who he said ‘had the vision to make sure that the JCR not only flourishes today, but remains stable and resilient in years to come.’  

Celebrating the Van Mildert community  

Storm, who is approaching the conclusion of her sabbatical year as JCR President, added her congratulations to those of the College Principal. Recalling her own journey, much of which she shares with the graduating students, she spoke of ‘taking lateral flow tests and sitting at tables in a marquee,’ and ‘enjoying just a few months of normal or semi-normal University life before being sent home rather suddenly due to the pandemic.’  

This cohort were part of the post-pandemic recovery in College ‘Mildert was your introduction to all things post-pandemic - and you took that challenge as literally as you could, throwing yourselves into everything without a second thought.’ Storm attributes the bounce back to normalcy to the ‘Mildert Spirit’, which she describes as  

‘the inclusive, selfless, friendly nature that we are very well-known for; yellow is an undoubtedly fitting college colour for Mildert. We do by far the most hours of volunteering across the University year on year through our six student-run outreach projects. We are also welcoming, diverse, and opportunity rich. Anyone can get involved, and friendships flourish between year groups, subject courses, and backgrounds - it’s the people that define the Mildert spirit, and the incredible sense of belonging that comes when you love and care for a place and community so much.’ 

Image: Adam Bakewell, Principal Tom Mole and Storm Rothwell 

Looking to the future 

Her closing message was one of enthusiasm for whatever the future may hold, and of the support offered by the connections made through the College network.  

‘We are amongst the lucky few- many students across the world graduate with degrees, but only Mildert graduates have this community. You’ll be pleased to know that being a Mildertian does not end here. You’re joining one of the University’s strongest alumni networks; your peers will now be chartered accountants, lawyers, CEOs and business owners. You have something very special in common with every single one of them, and that Mildert spirit will come in very handy in the future.’ 

Our college network 

Every Durham student is enrolled into one of our 17 colleges at the beginning of their first year and for many, our colleges are at the heart of some of the fondest memories. Colleges are more than just a place to eat and sleep; they give an instant sense of belonging and facilitate friendships that often last a lifetime.