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Graduations 2024

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Photo: InPress Photography
Written by
Teleri Lloyd-Jones Published date
19 July 2024

Yesterday, our final-year students took to the stage of the Royal Festival Hall for their joyous graduation. Congratulations to all!

Across three sessions, 1,504 students graduated to resounding cheers and clapping from friends, family and staff. There were on-stage selfies and dances, outfit reveals and even an inflatable ostrich. It was a celebration shared with graduates from London Contemporary Dance School.

Honorary fellowships were presented to Amelia Dimoldenberg, Sharmedean Reid and Ben Terrett who each made generous speeches full of heartfelt advice and wit.

Amelia Dimoldenberg addressed the hall, wearing a gown designed by Maximilian Raynor (who was graduating from BA Fashion Design):

Amelia Dimondenberg at the podium on the CSM UAL graduation stage
Amelia Dimoldenberg in graduation gown and custom dress by Maximillian Raynor. Photo: Inpress photography
You’re sitting right next to your future collaborators… your friends are not only your greatest collaborators but your greatest audience. Making my friends laugh shows me when I’m going in the right direction… You are about to leave one of the most prestigious creative universities in the world with something that everyone wants, something that keeps the world turning: new ideas. So go out and please make them.

— Comedian, presenter and @chickenshopdate CEO Amelia Dimoldenberg
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  • Two graduates with their mortarboards on and smiling
    Photo: In-Press Photography
  • A grad with pink hair swirls their skirt on the graduation carpet
    Photo: In-Press Photography
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  • A graduate walking across the stage at graduation
    Photo: InPress Photography
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Entrepreneur Sharmadean Reid inspired everyone once more, telling the room how the CSM spirit has stayed with her, extending into her professional career:

When I was at Central Saint Martins I had the most freedom, the most play and the most fun, the most experimentation… Every time I started a business, I tried to imbue it with that creativity and play. The mentality that is going to lead you to have an abundant mindset is to know that ideas and creativity come from within and that you can always generate more... Do the thing that makes you happy and lifts your spirit.”

— Sharmadean Reid, MBE
Sharmadean pictured in Honorary robes
Sharmadean Reid. Photo: In-Press Photography

All three student speakers Saadia Kanaan, Aaron Reid and Alex Free took time in their speech to thank not only the teaching staff but the entire community who support the daily work at Central Saint Martins:

Thank you everyone at CSM – the tutors and teaching staff here on this platform – and everyone behind the scenes who never get thanked enough (the canteen, on reception, the barriers, the library and beyond). However long you’ve been at CSM I think we can all agree that this College gets under your skin, doesn’t it?

— Saadia Kanaan, MA Fashion Communication: Journalism 2024
Saadia Kanaan with fists raised in speech at a podium
Student speaker Saadia Kanaan, BA Fashion Communication, Journalism.
  • Two grads hug, one is wearing an inflatable ostrich
    CSM grads with ostrich friend! Photo: In-Press Photography
  • Footwear on the graduation red carpet
    Photo: In-Press Photography

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