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Autumn graduation 2019

New Fellow: The RT Hon John Bercow

A warm welcome to John Bercow, new Fellow of Birkbeck. Asked for the advice he would impart on new graduates, he urged them to "remember Churchill's motto: KBO - Keep Buggering On, at all times. There are two ingredients to success in life; inspiration, for which I mean talent; and perspiration, much underestimated, must underrated, much undervalued but at least as important. Insist on getting there in the end, because there’s every chance that you will. My most important message is a very simple one: persist, persist, persist.”

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Meet our graduates

Never too late to learn

Meet John and Diana, who decided to undertake university study in their retirements and are graduating from the Department of History of Art.

"I envisioned the day I could graduate"

Esther overcame homelessness following bereavement and eviction to graduate from Creative Writing and English.

Turning a hatred of university into a passion

In their early life Phoebe Ewles-Bergeron associated education with self-loathing and suffering, but after a challenging journey they were able to develop their love for studying history at Birkbeck.

"If you have a career or a family, Birkbeck is the best"

Ever since she was forced to drop out of university for financial reasons, Grace Jaro has dreamed of graduating. This week, she graduates with a BSc Business with Accounting from Birkbeck and wins the prize for Best Overall Business Student.

"There's no such thing as 'can't'"

Former television presenter and journalist Gavin Campbell credits his parents for instilling his love of learning. His successful TV career brought him into contact with various aspects of the law. He chose to pursue this further by undertaking an LLB at Birkbeck, which he graduated from this week aged 73, and in a new career as a paralegal.

"Combining work experience with my LLB secured my training contract"

Birkbeck's evening study model meant Ina was able to work as a paralegal during the day, gaining the vital work experience that secured her a solicitor's training contract with a top 40 law firm.

“Birkbeck’s policy of not requiring specific grades and instead assessing my ability meant I had the chance of getting a degree”

Godlisten Pallangyo received a limited education in his home country of Tanzania. Despite not having an abundance of resources at his disposal in his early life, he demonstrated a will to finish school and study politics at university.

Embracing who you are in a different country

US-born Mike Best Jr. shares his advice for international students who are adjusting to life in the UK.

Juggling university with six children

Alongside studying for his BA in English, Jason had a job and six children under ten to look after! Now training as a teacher, he says the support of his wife, family and his tutors at Birkbeck made it possible to reach graduation.

"I made great friends from the very first lecture"

Sophie credits the friends she made on her course with getting her through some long nights in the library as she worked towards her BSc Marketing.

"I was the first in my family to go to uni - it opened up a new world"

David acknowledges that as the first person in his family to go to university, some people seem to have a bit of a problem with it. His message to them?: Deal with it.

“Studying at Birkbeck makes you feel part of something.”

Studying the BSc Business and Human Resource Management at Birkbeck helped Valentina Introna move from the shop floor to the role of HR Business Partner.

"With the right motivations you can shift your life for the better”

Marco Murdocca’s ambition to change his career led him to pursue a degree in Psychology at Birkbeck. Like many students he juggled a full-time job, working night shifts throughout his four year degree. Now with a new job and a young family, he reflects on how his hard work paid off.

Breaking through the ceiling

Jeremy Galea came to Birkbeck to further his career. Last week, he graduated with the Best Project prize in the Department of Management.

Birkbeck student graduates with a first after a coma left her unable to read or write

Odessa Hamilton is graduating with a first class honours degree in BSc Business Psychology after recovering from trauma that left her comatose.

“We need more women to study computer science and build the future.”

Being a woman with a newborn in a male-dominated subject didn’t stop Camilla Graham Wood from achieving a first in Computing. She shares her story in this interview.

Getting involved and making a difference

Sara who graduated with a BSc in Psychology and Nicholas who graduated with a BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience share why joining the Birkbeck Student Union enhanced their experience of university.