A wrestler who defeated head injury and depression was among the hundreds who graduated from Dundee and Angus College.
Father-of-five David Low spent three years recovering from a head injury which left him with stroke-like symptoms and depression.
When the Blairgowrie resident started working towards the SVQ (level 3) health and social care back in 2012 he expected to finish the course in about nine months, not three-and-a-half years.
However a life-changing head injury, caused in pursuit of the community nurse’s other career as professional wrestler Bravehart, left him battling months of illness, therapy, hospital visits, and acute depression.
The accident took place in August 2012 during a championship match against WWE legend Tatanka, but David returned to work with Blairgowrie Community Hospital and re-started his SVQ in October 2014.
He joined nearly 450 students for the college’s biggest ever ceremony at the Caird Hall after they all completed Higher National programmes such as HNC, HND or BA degree; SVQ and PDA awards, along with 100 family and friends.
Other students who were celebrating success, included baker Allison Smith who landed her dream job after gaining SVQ (level 3) bakery and patisserie.
The Kirkton resident regularly rolls out apple pies, carrot cake, cherry bakewell, and battenburg cakes as a chef at the Pinecone Caf on the outskirts of the city – a position she landed after she spent the summer preparing the food at the college’s Vintage Tearoom in Camperdown House.
Monifieth resident Avril Cunningham was awarded her BA design and creativity at age 65 after taking up painting nine years ago to counteract empty nest syndrome.
Born in St Petersburg, brought up in Bulgaria and educated at university in Athens, Nona Kaprilova is now a proud Dundee resident and was presented with HND quantity surveying, having completed two years of part-time study.
Coming to college was a complete change of direction for Myles McCallum, who left school 20 years ago and became an electrician.
After gaining an NC in social sciences, passing five highers and now an HNC, Myles is currently on the road to a degree.