Borders College Graduation 2025

@BordersCollege recently celebrated its Graduation 2025 ceremony, honouring the exceptional achievements of its students.

The much-anticipated event took place this month at the Borders Events Centre in Kelso. Having worked incredibly hard to complete their courses, it was time to recognise and celebrate the accomplishments and successes of everyone over the last year.

As part of the ceremony, the Honorary Fellowship of the College was awarded this year to Bruce Aitchison. A coach, wellbeing advocate, public speaker, and celebrant, Bruce is perhaps best known as the founder of Happiness is Egg Shaped, a platform promoting positivity through sport with a large online following and successful podcast.

This year’s ceremony was made possible by the kind donations of the College’s sponsors, including Borders Competitions, Borders Buses, Morrison Construction, Eildon Housing, Finlaysons Contracts Ltd, Muirhall Energy and St Boswells Fuels Ltd.

The ceremony truly is the highlight of the year for both staff and students, and it was a proud moment to watch the students on stage in their ceremonial gowns in front of their family members and distinguished guests.

Chair of the Borders College Regional Board, Ray McCowan, welcomed graduates and guests, saying:

“Graduation is the highlight of the Borders College calendar — a day when we come together to celebrate the hard work, commitment, and success of our students. It’s incredibly rewarding for staff and board members to see how far our learners have come — from their first days at college to becoming confident, capable individuals ready to take on the world.”

“Our graduates have shown great determination, balancing studies with work and life commitments, and they have truly earned their achievements. Today is not just a graduation — it’s a celebration. Enjoy every moment, make some noise for our graduates, and take pride in all you’ve accomplished. You made it happen!”

College Principal and CEO, Pete Smith, congratulated the graduates, saying:

“At Borders College, we are proud to empower our students to shape their own futures and contribute to a stronger, more sustainable Borders region. Today’s success stories reflect the hard work of our students, the support of their families, and the commitment of our staff.

Whatever path our graduates take next — employment, further study, or new adventures — they do so as part of the Borders College community, carrying forward the values of learning, growth and excellence. This is their moment, and they have earned it.”

Pete also presented this year’s Honorary Fellowship to Bruce Aitchison.

Bruce is a prominent figure in Scottish rugby and education, known for his energy, positivity, and commitment to wellbeing and the community.

Raised in Stow, Bruce’s leadership and passion for rugby began early, culminating in a Scottish Schools Cup win as Galashiels Academy captain. Inspired by his mentors, he built a career dedicated to teaching, coaching, and mental health advocacy.

Now also a celebrant and director at Effectivenow, Bruce supports numerous charities, including the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Cash for Kids, continuing to champion inclusion, wellbeing, and community through sport.

The Graduation was a brilliant way to highlight the end of an amazing chapter in the life of the students, and the College was delighted to see everyone enjoying their day.

This year’s ceremony saw the Bill Wilkie Memorial Award being presented to student Malina Corrin. Malina demonstrated exceptional qualities in academic and personal growth within the STEM and Sustainable Construction area. The award was presented by Nile Istephan, Chief Executive of Eildon Housing.

Awards were also presented to Christopher Bowern, recipient of the Stuart Wilkie Memorial Trophy, and Kian Muir, who received the Scottish Motor Trade Association (SMTA) Award.

Ray McCowan added:

“Today’s ceremony is rightly a celebration about the successes and achievement of our graduates. Today’s graduates join thousands of graduates from previous years who have built successful careers and grown successful businesses through what they have achieved at Borders College.

We are proud to be a local college whose primary purpose is to serve the Borders Community. No one needs to leave the Borders to get a best-in-class learning experience. Our student satisfaction rates, and student achievement rates are amongst the highest in Scotland and continue to improve every year, with this year’s among our best. We are delighted about the achievements of today’s graduates and the success they bring to the college too.”