The total number graduating with degrees and diplomas this year is 1220 and 525 have elected to cross the stage today.
Rafaela Poffo is one of them. Hailing from Santa Catarina, Brazil, she has spent the past two years living in Invercargill.
When she sought another place to live and work, she found Invercargill was a good fit with her experience in architectural college and offered the option to further her education.
Today, she will graduate with a New Zealand diploma in architectural technology.
"I feel very happy about it. I feel I’ve achieved a lot. It’s been a good journey."
Ms Poffo recently received the John Edmond Centennial Scholarship Fund Award for most outstanding and deserving diploma student — School of Architectural Technology.
Along with friends, she planned to celebrate graduating in true Brazilian style with a party in Queenstown, before resuming work as an architectural technician in Invercargill.
The number of graduating students is similar to last year and is 100 more than it was four years ago.
The increase is due mainly to more higher level programmes being offered at the polytechnic in a variety of programme areas such as engineering, health science, information technology, agribusiness management, occupational health and safety, environmental management and screen arts.
Academic operations, business development and student support manager Amanda Knowles said a good portion of the students were postgraduates.
She said when the ceremony ended about 3.30pm, graduates would celebrate by marching through the CBD from the Civic Theatre. They would head down Esk St, along Kelvin St and back up Tay St to SIT.
- For a full list of SIT graduands, see today's ODT.
