HUNDREDS of Bradford College students have been recognised for their years of hard work during two days of graduation ceremonies.

Joining the students in collecting their honours were honorary graduates including a top costume designer and two pioneers from the world of rugby.

Three of the five graduation events took place at the LIFE Centre yesterday (Tuesday), with the venue packed with students taking selfies in their gowns and with proud family members.

Yesterday's ceremonies were for students graduating from the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries, The School of Ophthalmics, the Faculty of Social Care and Community Practice and the McMillan Faculty of Teacher Education.

Honorary graduates included Ruth Caswell, an award-winning costumier, fashion designer and designer maker from Keighley who taught Costume and Textiles on the degree programmes within the college’s School of Art and Design, Ikram Butt, the first British Asian Muslim to represent England at either code of rugby, and Saima Hussain, the first Muslim female to play rugby league for Yorkshire and England.

One of the most poignant moments of yesterday came when students were given an inspirational speech from a mother collecting her son’s posthumous award.

Suresh Ram was two years into a three-year degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing at the college when he died suddenly of natural causes last summer aged just 21.

His parents were given a standing ovation by the audience before Suresh’s mother delivered her moving words.

She said: “This is a great honour for us to have Suresh’s achievement and hard work acknowledged despite the fact he is no longer with us.

“His life was sadly cut short last year but he lived those 21 years to the full doing more than some do in a lifetime.

“I urge you all to embrace the life you have been given, fulfil your dreams and ambitions. Never, ever sell yourself short.

“Anything is possible if you believe in yourself.

“Go out into the world with confidence. You are all special.”

He was originally from Wolverhampton but lived in Leeds while studying at Bradford College.

Also graduating was a student who was back at college just 48 hours after having a pacemaker fitted.

Jemma Jane Jenkinson struggled with health issues whilst studying on the Foundation Degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing, and after losing consciousness in class on a number of occasions she was told she needed to have a pacemaker fitted.

The 31-year-old went under the knife but ignored doctors’ advice to take six weeks off and was back in college just two days later - with wires still sticking out of her chest.

Jemma, from Boston Spa, said: “It was close to exam time so I didn’t want miss any lessons.

“I had to come in wearing my pyjama top still as I couldn’t lift my arm. I think the staff were terrified really but they were incredibly supportive.”

She received a huge round of applause from proud family and friends as she collected her degree.

The college encouraged many of the students to tweet about the day using the hashtag #Bradgrad16.

Today there will be a second round of graduation events, for students of the Faculty of Business, Law and Services Management, the Faculty of Applied Sciences and the Schools of Computing, Construction & Engineering.

Picking up honorary degrees will be Simon Atkin, the Keighley-born former Chief Superintendent of West Yorkshire Police and college alumnus and Emily Cummins, an award-winning inventor and entrepreneur from Keighley.

Today's event was particularly significant for one family.

Khatoon Hussain, a court interpreter from Fagley and mum of six, was there to watch her daughters Zayna and Zahra Manir collect their law degrees. And she was also applauding her cousin Nahida Khalid and her niece Faiza Naveed, who graduated from the same course too.

The quartet all hailed Khatoon as their inspiration for starting the course, after she graduated from it in 2013.

“She is the reason we are all here,” said Nahida.

“She showed us what was possible. She was our role model.”

Khatoon, whose two sisters also followed in her footsteps by studying law at Bradford College, said: “I seem to have started a family tradition.

“I was a driving instructor and wanted a change of career so decided to come to Bradford College to do a law degree.

“My sister Zatoon Hussain followed me a couple of years later and my other sister Farzana Hussain is in her second year now.

“My daughters saw me studying at home and were interested in what I was doing so when it came to their studies, there was only one course they wanted to do and one place they wanted to go - Bradford College Law School.

“It is great to see them graduate as I know from experience how hard they have worked to achieve it.

“I have another daughter coming in September too.”

Khatoon, a mum of six from Fagley, now works as an interpreter in the Bradford Courts. 

Over the two days 1,100 students will take part in the graduation ceremonies.

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