Graduation season: celebrating success

The entrance to GWC Regalia HIre, the non-profit arm of GWC, just before opening to April graduands. Photos by Sarah McBurney, Regalia Hire Business Manager.

GWC would not exist without graduates. Uplifting all women to succeed in education is at the heart of our strategy, and our mission is funded by the proceeds from the non-profit arm of our organisation: GWC Regalia Hire. Our regalia hire business is part of the fabric of the Waitaha graduation experience, as we are the supplier for hire of academic regalia to universities, institutes of technology, private tertiary providers and schools across the takiwā.

GWC’s recently renovated business premises on the University of Canterbury campus allow graduands to move smoothly through hiring their academic regalia (and returning it after the ceremony). The decoration of the interior (before reaching the racks of gowns) reflects the diversity of the graduating community and means that students and their families see themselves reflected as they collect their regalia.

Much work takes place behind the scenes to ensure the hiring experience runs smoothly, and the business is supported during graduation season by a team of volunteers, many of whom have a decades-long association with GWC. Hiring is now based around contemporary technology, with QR codes and RFID an integral part of the systems.

The funds received from regalia hire, together with resources held by the Trust, are what enable GWC to pursue its vision of barrier-free education for all women, through funding, partnerships and scholarships. As the number of graduands participating in graduation ceremonies grows, so too does our determination to see all women empowered to succeed in further, higher and lifelong education, celebrating and strengthening the communities around us.