Live Graduation Blog 6/12/08
We thought it would be cool to run a live blog during Graduation day. Current student Thomas Vandewiele, holder of an Edge Hill scholarship for Online Excellence, will be blogging during the day.
Please leave a comment so he doesn't feel lonely. Comments may be moderated before appearing online so don't worry if it doesn't appear straight away!
| Graduation | (12/06/2008) Powered by: CoveritLive |
9:26 |  Mister_Roy: Watching people arrive on a crisp winter morning |
9:27 | TOM: Good morning everyone! Here we go, the day is fully underway and it's look like it's all happening now with people arriving bright and early! |
9:27 | [Comment From Andy Davies] Good luck with the blog, Tom |
9:29 | TOM: Blimey I have just started and I already have words of encouragemnent! Thanks Andy!
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9:30 | [Comment From Steven] good morning tom, any chance of a link to the live feed for the cermony? girlfriend is graduating but forgot to give me it. |
9:31 | Mike Nolan: The live video will appear on the homepage of the graduation site: http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/graduation/ |
9:45 | TOM: Made my way to the Education building and it's all happening down here. It is quite obvious that for many people it is a big day today. |
9:51 | [Comment From Steven] Thanks for the heads-up Mike. Looking forward to it starting. Congratulations to everyone who has graduated. |
9:54 | TOM: So many people today I feel sorry for the poor ducks who usually enjoy a quiet Saturday morning. The poor things look rather scared. Still they are a real crowd pleaser. |
10:05 | TOM: Lots of waiting around at the moment. Unfortunately it looks like technology is not on my side today! For some reason the system is struggling to upload pictures... Hopefully I will manage to fix this! |
10:14 | TOM: It's official only one hour to go before Tanya officially becomes Queen of the Jungle. Oups sorry I watch too much reality TV, I meant Chancellor of the University! I have to admit I will miss I am celebrity get me out of here! Maybe Tanya could apply to go in the Jungle next year? |
10:19 | TOM: Getting rather busy here in the foyer of the Faculty of Health and Social Care. Lots of nervous people trying to look relaxed in their robe. Not an easy task... |
10:33 | TOM: Here we go I am in the Amphitheatre, all the graduates are seated and some late comers are desperately looking for somewhere to seat. |
10:35 | TOM: Oh looks like something is happening, some rather scary organ has just started. It makes me feel like the bride is about to walking in. |
10:37 | TOM: This music is not helping anyone... |
10:39 | Mister_Roy: Waiting to go into hall - expectant hush... |
10:41 | TOM: Now I know how Terry wogan feels before the eurovision. You know it's going to be exciting and interesting to watch but at the same time there will a lot of waiting! |
10:50 | TOM: Not much happening at the moment, a little bit of Morris Dancing to entertain the crowd would be good. |
10:51 | [Comment From Joe] When is the video going to go live? |
10:51 | TOM: I believe it just started. |
10:55 | TOM: Registration in the Faculty of education this morning http://tinyurl.com/6ycsua |
11:01 | TOM: Exclusive picture of the Vice chancellor before the ceremony. http://tinyurl.com/6nasc8 |
11:04 | TOM: The usual safety annoucement has been made, the ceremony can start. I am glad I am now aware of where the fire exit are. |
11:05 | TOM: The organist is busy playing some tune could have gone for something a little bit more cheerful... |
11:10 | TOM: The ceremony has officially started. Some trumpeters suddenly appeared and played some official tune to announce the entrance of the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor. |
11:12 | TOM: Not sure how to summarise the excellent speech our vice chancellor is making at the moment. |
11:12 | [Comment From Alfie] Love the photos! Got any more? |
11:14 | Mister_Roy: Nearly zero hour - get clapping muscles ready |
11:15 | TOM: The vice chancellore is telling us a little bit about the history of the university at the moment. Alfie I shall be posting more pictures in a moment. I have created a picassa album that can be accessed here: http://tinyurl.com/6qh5p8 |
11:25 | TOM: The vice-chancellor just finished his speech. |
11:26 | TOM: It's all happening, Tanya has just become the Fisrt chancellor of edge Hill University. |
11:58 | TOM: I am BACK!! Well it all went wrong, the technology not the ceremony! The laptop crashed and then it ran out of battery... So here I am in a dark room in the FoH updating you. Why a dark room you would say? It's the only place where I found a plug. |
11:59 | [Comment From sarah] why has it gone off |
12:00 | TOM: Hopefully I should be back for good! |
12:00 | [Comment From margaret and ken] Hope you have a wonderful day congratulations to Maria Costello |
12:01 | TOM: Tanya made a great speech telling us all about her background, her familly and why she accepted to be edge hill university first chancellor. I have to say she is a great public speaker. |
12:07 | TOM: Here we go the graduation is finally starting. |
12:09 | TOM: The graduation for the faculty of art is now over which was really quick! |
12:12 | TOM: I have to admit I am always bemused by the robe people get to wear on graduation day. I wonder what a foreign person would make of this if they happen to walk in by accident? They would probably think we are filming the new Harry Potter. |
12:13 | TOM: It is the end of the Faculty of Education graduation and it is now the turn of the Faculty of Health and Social Care. |
12:15 | TOM: Can anyone tell me when we the phone line will be open to vote for the best performance? So far my vote go to Tanya! |
12:16 | TOM: Looks like Sarah Jenkins got some fans in the building! Congratulations! |
12:18 | TOM: It looks like Tanya has been practising her hand shake, really efficient. |
12:25 | TOM: I would to congratulate everyone who is graduating today. |
12:29 | TOM: I have just uploaded some new pictures here: http://tinyurl.com/6qh5p8 |
| 12:29 | [Be Right Back Countdown] | 5 minutes |
| 12:29 | [Be Right Back Countdown] | 10 minutes |
| 12:29 | [Be Right Back Countdown] | 10 minutes |
| 12:29 | [Be Right Back Countdown] | 10 minutes |
12:46 | TOM: The first graduation ceremony of the day is over. Time to go for a break and a glass of orange juice. I hope you have enjoyed this live blog so far and if you wish to leave a comment feel free to do so. |
| 12:47 | [Standby] Back soon for some more live coverage of the ceremony! |
1:33 | [Comment From michelle] welldone dawn hart so proud of you graduates at 3.00 love your big sis |
1:34 | TOM: Round 2 is about to start. I've got a feeling of deja vu... Oh yes this morning at 10am! |
1:47 | TOM: Well it's time to go back in the arena to watch some live graduation actions. |
1:56 | TOM: I am in, and so far only a few people have arrived. I managed to locate a plug so this time I shouldn't go off air! |
2:05 | TOM: Slowly but surely people are coming in. There are a lots of really proud looking parents here. |
2:06 | Mister_Roy: Eating lunch with vips - yum |
2:14 | TOM: While some of us are having nice lunch (not like my Dry Bacon Bap I had for lunch at Water Edge! Horrible...) I shall update you: Currently the staff is struggling to explain that there are reserved seats at the front. They keep asking people to move from the front row. Surely a sign saying this seat is reserved sign would have done the trick? |
| 2:23 | [Video file] | YouTube: GRSTJahU6nQ Play |
2:32 | TOM: Well, well the place is nearly full. The camera are on. Just waiting for the VIPs to finish their lunch. I tell you if they had been served the bacon bap I had for lunch they would be here already! |
2:35 | TOM: The organist is back! I wonder if he sells CDs of his lovely music? |
2:44 | TOM: This music remind of a french program called tournee Menage - the UK equivalent would be blind date by Cillia Black- In between each person asking question a guy called Charlie would play some tunes with an organ. Just like today, the only difference is we are not on Blind date! |
| 2:45 | [Video file] | YouTube: mVX3dIwmiLE Play |
2:49 | TOM: I think we've got a full house now, I am not sure there are enough seats for everyone. |
2:57 | [Comment From Alfie] Great camera action, Tom! Can't beat that organ music... |
2:59 | TOM: Thanks, Alfie I aim to please! Unfortunately no new pictures... Not much happening here, it's a waiting game at the moment. |
3:01 | [Comment From Adam] Hi Tom, Loving the live blog! Maybe you should replace Terry Wogan this year for the eurovision? You would be much better than Graham Norton. |
3:02 | TOM: Thanks Adam, do you have contacts at the BBC? |
3:03 | [Comment From Mike Nolan] Tom for Eurovision! |
3:06 | TOM: Here we go I am aware of the fire exit now, the ceremony can start.
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3:11 | TOM: The ceremony has just started! |
3:13 | [Comment From Daniels] hi tom, great job so far. watching over the net and using your live blog to know whats really going on |
3:13 | TOM: Oh dear, quite a few babies disapproving with the current speaker. |
3:18 | TOM: Looks like someone just got a red cards. |
3:22 | TOM: Well done to everyone who is currently receiving their diploma! |
3:23 | TOM: Scott Stevens and Tanya are trying to look good for the camera! |
| 3:26 | [Video file] | YouTube: FGGb9a3VQD0 Play |
3:27 | TOM: Lots of clapping action going on at the moment! |
3:28 | [Comment From Daniels] can you do close up shots of the graduants. i need to see faces |
3:29 | TOM: Daniel will try by best but unfortunatelly I am at the back so I am not convinve you will be able to see much! |
3:33 | TOM: I have to say it feels rather strange to be at a graduation ceremony where I don't know anyone graduating. Long way to go before I graduate. |
3:35 | TOM: Commenting on what is going on at the moment is rather difficult to be honnest. |
3:36 | TOM: Nevertheless it is a really successful ceremony so far! |
| 3:36 | [Video file] | YouTube: t1QmZrIB5TA Play |
3:41 | TOM: Sorry for the delay with the video, youtube takes a while to process new video. |
3:41 | [Comment From peter] it s great to be able to watch the ceremony online and read a live blog |
3:42 | TOM: We are more than half through and the speaker is showing some sign of tiredness... |
3:43 | [Comment From Roy] hang on in there Tom, you're doiung a great job |
3:43 | TOM: I might start a Tom facegroup appreciation club after this! |
3:44 | Mister_Roy: glad the presentation gifts for Chancellor and Pro-Chancellors arrived in time, ie 5 minutes before they were needed |
3:44 | TOM: Oh, some whistling action now! Some people are popular! |
3:48 | TOM: We are reaching the end now and I have to say I feel rather exhausted. |
3:48 | [Comment From Roy] You could run a poll on who makes the best speech |
3:48 | TOM: I like the idea but I don't think I remenber the name of everyone who made one.... |
3:52 | [Comment From hart family] so proud of you knew you could do it love you loads mum,dad,shell,laura,ben and everyone x |
3:54 | TOM: And that is it for today, lots of clapping here to congratulate everyone. I hope you enjoyed reading the live blog. It's been great fun and apart from some little technical difficulty at the start I think it's gone rather well. |
3:55 | TOM: And we are finishing with a standing ovation and a few words from Tanya! |
3:57 | TOM: Tanya is telling us how proud she is of all of the graduates, encouraging them to stay in touch! |
3:57 | TOM: Well I thought it was over but the trumpeters are back. |
4:00 | TOM: And the organist has moved to the piano! It's all happening here. We even we have some singing as well! This is really a grand Final the graduates deserve. |
4:02 | TOM: Everyone is standing up now so it is officially over. Bye everyone! |
4:03 | TOM: And thanks to all of you who left comments!!! |
8:36 |  |
