Graduation unsung hero: Mark Blackwood
Hear from colleagues who are taking time to contribute to graduation week, find out about their role and what they enjoy about it. It's a chance to see some of the work that goes on behind the scenes to help make graduation week a success.
Behind the scenes with...
Mark Blackwood
Senior Analyst / Developer (CRM System), IT Services
Role at graduation: Standby Student, Robing & Ticket Collection Team Leader
My usual job involves…
developing Warwick's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) project, implementing a new cloud based Microsoft Dynamics based system for customer relations management. I work with various departments, and the project team, creating custom solutions to fit the University's business requirements and improve customer engagement.
But during graduation week I…
have been working with the ticket and robing collection team, whose job it is to look after the gowns and attendance for the ceremony - with so many people graduating, it is a very busy team!
I really enjoy being involved with…
the graduation ceremony. Part of my role is as a standby student, which means attending the ceremony and being ready to collect a certificate if one of the graduands is unable to. It is good to see the ceremony, as it is a reminder of what so many people are working towards here.
Graduation week is unique because…
it is the culmination of years of hard work for the students, and for many of them the end of their time at the University and in education. Graduation is a big day for a lot of people, and there aren't many organisations which play host to events of a similar size and scale.
What would you say to colleagues considering getting involved?
I think it is good to get involved with something that a lot of people work very hard towards, and that is something they will remember for the rest of their lives. Working in a business operations role in the University can mean that you are slightly removed from the academic side, and it is a good reminder of what it is all about.
In three words, what invaluable tip or advice would you give graduands?
Enjoy your day!