IDS Winter Graduation: Sometimes the struggle is the solution

By Lawrence Haddad

Yesterday was Graduation Day at the University of Sussex and the IDS graduates were there to receive their degrees from the Chancellor, Sanjeev Bhaskar, a wonderful actor and writer. 

Blackmail pictures of IDS students (and a few IDS staff) here. 

The Chancellor, as usual, made some great jokes and told some great stories (he is a professional after all).

I love how he always tells the graduates about how, as an 18 year old, his application to the University of Sussex was rejected, and then he waited for all those people who made the decision to retire (or go mad) and then came back triumphantly as Chancellor (theme: don't let others define you -- and don't give up). 

Also there was the story about the mouse in a bowl of milk who struggled so hard to get out it turned the milk into butter and so the mouse was able to walk out of the bowl (theme: sometimes the struggle is the solution).

Finally, there was this advice: when you boil vegetables, save the remaining water, freeze it and turn it into little cubes and use it as stock later on (theme: I have no idea!). 

One of the parents I talked to afterwards was struck by the fact that the IDS students are the only ones who actually shake the hands of the Head of Department calling out their names (usually me) as they march onto the stage.  I think it reflects the fact that IDS is a family and the students are every much a part of that. 

So, my warmest congratulations to the 100 or so IDS students who graduated this year. 

We know you will continue doing great things out there in the world, with the world, and for the world.

Just remember the mouse.

This post originally appeared in Lawrence Haddad's blog Development Horizons.