Northeastern London celebrates the achievements and perseverance of ‘remarkable’ graduates
More than 120 undergraduate and degree apprenticeships officially joined Northeastern’s vast graduate network at a ceremony on the city’s South Bank.
LONDON — “Everything’s come full circle,” said a joyous Preslava Kisyova as she described her feelings on graduation day.
The law major’s family — mother Jana, father Slavi and brother Kaloyan — had flown from Bulgaria to the United Kingdom to see the 22-year-old graduate from Northeastern University.
Kisyova was one of more than 120 students from the Class of 2025 who were recognized at a graduation ceremony held at Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s South Bank.
With aspirations of becoming a lawyer in either the art or medical worlds, Kisyova said her time studying at Northeastern in one of Europe’s major capital cities had left a lasting impression.
“I met so many people and created a life in London,” she said. “I was a lot more shy when I came here, but I have become a lot more open to experiences, people and learning, and I’m so grateful for that.”
Professor Scott Wildman, executive principal and dean of Northeastern in London, told the undergraduate and degree apprenticeship graduates on Wednesday that their new qualifications stood them in good stead to provide answers and the human qualities of creativity and reasoning in a world being transformed by artificial intelligence.
“You stand at an inflection point,” said Wildman. “The world is asking big questions — about truth in the age of deep fakes, about human purpose in the age of automation, about connections in an increasingly digital world.
“We’re not just handing you a degree today — we’re handing you the responsibility to help answer these questions. And based on what I’ve seen from this remarkable cohort, I’ve never been more optimistic about our future.”
Student speaker Asyirah Sofiah Kamal Hisham, who majored in law with economics, told her classmates that graduation was an acknowledgment of the silent struggles and sacrifices that they and their loved ones had made.
“No one has seen how hard you worked behind closed doors, holding on when giving up would have been so much easier,” the former student union president told them. “Today we celebrate that perseverance.”
Michelle Johnson, a fellow student speaker, spoke about how it was the support of those at Northeastern and her family at home who helped her reach the finish line.
As a degree apprentice, Johnson graduated from the digital and technology solutions (data analyst) program while working full time at Network Rail, a public sector infrastructure provider.
Having started working at 18, Johnson entered higher education more than 20 years after first leaving school. The married mother of one became emotional as she recalled the trials she had overcome to complete her degree, having been promoted three times during her studies and also caring for her aging mother.
“I must have considered quitting over the three-year period at least a dozen times, but the support I received was exceptional,” Johnson said. “I’m proud that what I sacrificed — Christmas breaks, weekends, evenings with my family and friends — was worth it. It was definitely not easy, but I made it.”
Bryan Kaplan, graduating with a degree in economics and creative writing, was awarded the “leadership prize,” recognizing his role in the college’s community.
Kaplan, who co-hosted the most recent London convocation ceremony and worked as a student ambassador, said he was honored to have been singled out.
Under his original plan when starting university in 2021, Kaplan intended to study in London for a year before completing the rest of his degree on Northeastern’s Boston campus. But his freshman experience convinced him to transfer full time to the U.K. for the remainder of his undergraduate studies.
Explaining his decision to relocate 5,500 miles away from his Los Angeles home, Kaplan said: “It was a place that I had no expectations for and it exceeded all of them. It was really the people and the professors and the staff that made it so welcoming and warm.”
During the ceremony, prizes were given out to faculty and students to mark their contributions to the university. Six London-based students who were inducted during the 2024/25 academic year into the Huntington 100 — an accolade that endorses those whose academic achievements embody the mission, ideals and values of the school — were invited up to the stage.
Editor’s Picks
Among them was Euan Wilkins Campbell, a law major from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. Wilkins Campbell said being part of the Huntington 100 club felt like a “massive achievement.”
Graduation, he remarked, was bittersweet as he was saying goodbye to close friends, but he was “feeling proud I’ve got here.” The 21-year-old was planning to celebrate with a post-ceremony dinner with his parents, Julie and Jason, along with older sister Sarah, before joining his fellow graduates for some celebratory drinks.
Having a Northeastern-stamped degree has already paid off for the latest graduates. Stefania Kuptsova explained that she is about to move to Germany to start a job in the nonprofit sector helping to develop cultural projects, having completed a combined degree in art history and psychology.
The 22-year-old said: “I’m so happy to be graduating. I’ve been looking forward to it and I’m really happy that this day has come.
“I really enjoyed my degree. Honestly, it was one of the best things that has happened to me — the choice of the degree, the university, the experience in London was absolutely amazing. I loved every second of it, it was quite terrific.”
Meriam Chebil got a sneak peek of what her own graduation will look like next year, with the third-year business student in attendance to pick up the “Dean’s Prize.” A fellow Huntington 100 inductee and convocation co-host, she received the prize alongside Camile Krieger, Hannah Robson and Nicolas Kuri.
“I definitely am just in awe and am personally shocked,” said Chebil of receiving the prize. “But I’m really happy that my family is here with me for this award and that I get the opportunity to celebrate it with them.”
Chebil’s mother, Imen Bhar, had flown from California to be part of her daughter’s moment. “I wanted to be here to support her,” said Bhar. “It is her award but it is also our award. She is our biggest prize.”
