University students graduate on rollercoaster going 68mph
‘It was so unique and unforgettable’
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A group of university students have taken part in a heart-racing graduation ceremony which was held – unconventionally – on a rollercoaster.
When students at Staffordshire University embarked on a three-year Visitor Attraction and Resort Management course at the academic institution, they undoubtedly aspired for their degrees to help take their future careers to new heights.
However, they may not have anticipated that their academic dreams would be realised quite so literally as they took their seats on the Oblivion rollercoaster at Alton Towers.
The university students wore their graduation gowns and held onto their graduation caps as they raced around the rollercoaster on Wednesday morning, reaching speeds of up to 68mph.
Charlotte Hall, a 20-year-old student who achieved a 2.1 for her degree, said that participating in the graduation ceremony at the theme park resort was a “fitting way to the end the course”.
“It was so unique and unforgettable. I’d been on the ride once before but doing it four times consecutively was new for me,” said Hall, who has been hired to work at Alton Towers following university.
“The best thing about the course was being able to put what you learn into practice by doing a placement.”
Simon Ratcliffe, assistant recruitment and learning and development manager at Alton Towers, says the theme park believes this may have been the “first ceremony like this to take place in the world”.
Oblivion was the world’s first vertical drop rollercoaster, Alton Towers states on its website.
The ride, which was first opened in 1998, features an 180-feet drop and is the third-fastest rollercoaster in the UK.
The Visitor Attraction and Resort Management degree at Staffordshire University includes 20 weeks of paid work experience.
Carol Southall, senior lecturer and course leader at the university, explains the benefits of providing students with a “combination of paid placements and academic study”.
“Our students have the chance to experience a diverse range of job roles across the operational areas of the business, giving them the edge when they graduate,” Southall states.
In July 2017, the Oblivion ride was evacuated after the rollercoaster halted while at its highest point due to a “minor technical fault”.
Rescue staff scaled to the top fo the ride to help 16 passengers return safely to the ground.
An Alton Towers spokesperson said that at “no point was guest safety compromised”.
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