Celebrating the success of the Year in Business Graduates - class of 2025

It was a real pleasure to support the Graduation Ceremonies for Royal Holloway’s Business School students on Tuesday 22nd July. I particularly enjoyed speaking with our Year in Business (YIB) students about their university journey, placement experiences, and plans for the future, and in many cases, meeting their proud families too. 

 It was a very special ceremony in the University's Windsor Building: a long line of Year in Business students processed in front of the Provost and Pro Vice Chancellor, the Dean of the School of Business, academic staff, friends and family to receive their certificates. The event also featured several heartfelt speeches, including an inspiring address by the Student Orator. 

Special congratulations goes to Dillon McEvilly, who was awarded the Year in Business Prize for achieving the highest overall academic record amongst YIB students. Dillon completed a successful placement with the NHS and has already returned there to begin his graduate career. It was lovely to catch up with him and hear how much he gained from the experience. 

 

We are immensely proud of all our Year in Business graduates. Securing a placement can be a demanding process requiring true resilience, and for many, the placement year itself brings new challenges. We’re glad to have supported them along the way and are always inspired by their growth and achievements. 

Many of our final-year YIBs give back by volunteering as YIB Mentors, sharing their insights and supporting students preparing for their own placement journeys. Their contributions to workshops and events are incredibly valuable and appreciated. 

 Looking ahead, some of our graduates are continuing their studies, while others are returning to the companies where they completed their placements, including Cooper Parry, Cooper Vision, Enterprise Mobility, NHS, Samsung and Simmons & Simmons. Many more have used their placement experience to secure roles with prestigious employers such as Emirates, Ferrero, Finbourne Technology, Ivy Rock Partners and PwC. Congratulations to all our graduates! 

If I didn’t get a chance to catch up with you after the ceremony, please do stay in touch. The Year in Business team would love to hear where your placements have taken you — your stories are a source of inspiration for the next generation of students and we hope to welcome you back to the Business School at future events.