Students and staff came together to celebrate on Thursday 9 July
2009) at the University of Bolton as two days of degree congregation
ceremonies began.
The graduation ceremony was also a homecoming for two founder
members of the band The Buzzcocks. Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley
received Honorary Doctorates for their outstanding contribution to the
field of music.
They co-formed The Buzzcocks while students at Bolton Institute, which
is now the University of Bolton, where they studied humanities.
Pete is best known as the group’s lead singer, while Howard, who quit
after their first single, went on to form the influential band,
Magazine.
Pete said: “The university has changed a lot, not like us.
“It was a good environment and allowed you to be what you wanted to be
and do what you wanted to do, like we did.”
Commenting on his achievement, Howard laughed: “Be careful what you do
because you could end up wearing these robes like we are!
“It is an honour to be awarded in this way from the place we once
attended. I did learn a lot.”
