Dumfries and Galloway College Heritage Trail • Stop 7
Graduation Celebrations
A historic place of reflection, dignity and celebration at the heart of the Crichton.
Watch and Listen
This stop explores how the Crichton Memorial Church connects the past and present of the campus.
Originally created as part of Elizabeth Crichton’s vision for the Crichton Institute, the church remains a place of meaning and community. Today, it provides the setting for one of the most important moments in the student journey: graduation.
Read the video transcript
Trail marker 7, celebrating success.
Graduation is one of the most important moments in a student’s journey here at Dumfries and Galloway College. It is a time to recognize achievement, perseverance, a moment to celebrate how far each learner has come and to look ahead to what comes next.
The college held its first graduation ceremony in 1997, marking the success of students completing higher education programs. Since becoming a single regional college in 2013, graduation has brought together learners from across Dumfries and Galloway under one shared celebration here at the beautiful Crichton Church.
Carla Lorimer, our marketing team leader, talks about the work that goes into each ceremony.
“I would say, graduation’s changed a lot over the years, but to me it’s the event of the year. It’s all of the culmination, all of the hard work that our students have done to get to that place where they’re graduating, they can invite their families along and everybody, and we can have just a big celebration and it’s such a happy day. And usually when the weather’s excellent, it’s a stellar outcome for us all. And the, seeing the staff and the students all come together and everybody been able to take pictures and celebrate and have their graduation gowns on and everything, it’s just such a big event for us and it’s just so good to have it at the college.”
Today, those celebrations reflect the diversity of modern further education. Graduates come from a wide range of pathways with each journey being different, each representing commitment, effort, and personal growth from our students. Importantly, graduation is not just for college leavers and for many students, it marks a return to learning later in life. Across the region, mature learners have come back into education, balancing study with work, family, and other responsibilities. For them, graduation is often a deeply personal milestone, representing confidence regained, ambitions realised, and new opportunities opened. It is proof that learning has no fixed starting point and no age limit.
Vicki Napier remembers what graduation meant to her.
“From a personal point of view, when I left school and I became a hairdresser, I’ve got two older brothers, one of them’s a fireman and one of them’s quite high up in computing, you know, and I kind of felt like I was the, the hairdresser of the family, you know, like I was just the, you know, and I was a stay-at-home mum for a while and all that kind of thing. And so when I was able to have a graduation ceremony, like it was quite special to me, like for me and my dad, like I felt like I’d made them proud because I’d graduated.”
This reflects a key principle of the college, that opportunity and recognition should be accessible to everyone. Graduation is about more than certificates. It is about people. It is about stories of determination, resilience and success. It is about the pride of families and the support of staff who have helped learners reach this point.
Caroline Stuart, chair of the board, has a front row seat at the graduation ceremonies at the Crichton Church and shares her feeling about the day.
“You know, life’s busy. We all have busy weeks and we have lots of tasks to do and pausing to celebrate is hugely important. And graduation is the culmination of all that effort, all that sweat and tears to get your qualification. And it’s a chance to bring your family, friends, whoever in your wider life together to celebrate your achievements. And so we should all pause to celebrate and graduation for me is that opportunity to pause with the people you love, to celebrate with you. So hugely important and we’ll never stop it, ever.”
It is also a moment of transition. For some, graduation leads directly into employment. For others, it opens the door to further or higher education. And for many, it is the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, now shaped by the confidence of skills gained through their time at college. Ultimately, graduation is both an ending and a beginning, a celebration of what has been achieved and a recognition of what is still to come.
Did you know?
Dumfries and Galloway College held its first full graduation ceremony in 1997, and today graduates still celebrate their achievements in the remarkable setting of the Crichton Memorial Church.
Historic setting.
Living tradition.
New beginnings each year.
A building shaped by vision
The Crichton Memorial Church was commissioned by Elizabeth Crichton as part of her wider vision for the Crichton Institute. It was intended to be far more than a place of worship. It was also a place of reflection, dignity and community for the people connected to the institution.
Completed in 1897, the church remains one of the most distinctive buildings on the Crichton estate. Its architecture, stonework and stained glass speak to the importance once placed on environment, care and human wellbeing.
From reflection to celebration
Today, the building has taken on a new role while still retaining its sense of purpose. The Crichton Memorial Church now provides a prestigious and atmospheric home for Dumfries and Galloway College’s annual Graduation Ceremony.
Graduation marks one of the most important moments in the student journey. It is a chance to recognise hard work, perseverance and achievement, while also looking ahead to future opportunities.
A tradition that continues
The College’s first full graduation ceremony took place in 1997, celebrating students who had completed higher education programmes. Since then, graduation has continued to recognise not only academic success, but the wider impact that education can have on people’s lives.
Each year, graduates, families and staff come together in this historic space to celebrate achievement, progression and new beginnings. In this way, the church continues to witness moments of pride, belonging and transformation across generations.
Take a moment to reflect
This building has served many purposes over time, yet it has always remained connected to people, place and wellbeing.
How do special places help mark important moments in your own life?
Continue the trail
From this place of celebration, continue to the next stop to explore how the College’s story has continued to evolve – from one vision to the next.
