And for many, making the journey to study at Teesside was a dream come true.
This year’s academic awards ceremonies, held between 19 and 23 November, saw around 4,000 graduates receive their certificates at Middlesbrough Town Hall.
Professor Graham Henderson CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor of Teesside University, said: 'Our graduates worked hard to achieve their success, and deserved the opportunity that these ceremonies gave them to celebrate their achievements.'