13 November 2012
More than 5,000 students graduated from Bournemouth University last week, in ceremonies at the Bournemouth International Centre.
As well as being an incredible event for all involved, the ceremonies generated a lot of media attention.
The Bournemouth Echo featured a round–up of all of those who were receiving honorary doctorates from BU this year. These included tourism leader Jean–Claude Baumgarten, Forensic Science regulator Andrew Rennison, Sibyl Fine King, who established Dorset–based charitable body The Fine Foundation and Fiona McMillan, former principal of Bridgewater College.
The awarding of an Honorary Doctorate of Arts to Oscar and BAFTA–winning visual effects supervisor Paul Franklin, also received coverage in a number of media outlets.
The story was featured on BBC South Today on the morning of the Media School graduation ceremony – when Paul received his honorary doctorate – and he was also interviewed on BBC Radio Solent’s breakfast show.
Paul talked to presenter Julian Clegg about his work on blockbuster films including Inception and the recent Batman trilogy and said that the National Centre for Computer Animation at BU was a "huge success story."
He said: "It produces a very large number of high quality graduates every year, and you can look at almost any big film with lots of visual effects in it and there will be a large number of people from Bournemouth University involved in making that film – things like Avatar, and my co–winning VFX supervisor on Inception was a graduate of the Media School.
"It’s a fantastic success story."
He added that his honorary doctorate was "an incredible and unexpected honour" that made him feel "very, very humble", saying: "I think the university does absolutely fantastic things and it is brilliant to be honoured this way."
His honorary doctorate has also been featured on the BBC News website, London Wired website and radio stations in London.
ITV Meridian News also came along to the graduation ceremony for the School of Tourism, and spoke to graduates about whether they had found it difficult to secure a job.
Social affairs correspondent Christine Alsford said that Bournemouth University had one of the best graduate employment rates in the country and featured Hospitality Management graduate Sophie Haskins, who has set up her own cake–making business and baked graduation–themed cakes for the ceremony reception.
Afterwards, Christine also tweeted that she found the graduates at BU "inspiring and optimistic"
Following the ceremonies, the Bournemouth Echo wrote about the graduation ceremony for the Media School – including Paul Franklin saying that the media school had become a "powerhouse of creative reputation" and a speech given by Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers at the graduation ceremony for the Media School.
Reminding the graduates that they had huge opportunities but huge responsibility, Lord Phillips said: "I happen to believe this is the finest media school in the country. So congratulations to you, your family and friends and all those who teach at the university."
The article was written by assistant editor at the Bournemouth Echo Andy Martin – who also teaches Multimedia Journalism students at BU, and presented multimedia journalism student Kirsty Callaghan with the annual Daily Echo award at the graduation ceremony.
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