Degrees of love

Two students who met, fell in love and married while at the University of St Andrews will graduate today (Thursday 30th November 2006).

While the University can claim the romantic accolade that around one in ten graduates end up marrying, Alexandra Cran and Simon McGreehin couldn’t wait to tie the knot and did so while still students!

Alexandra and Simon will graduate during the St Andrews Day ceremony today with PhDs in Applied Mathematics and Physics respectively.

Though born just thirty miles apart in Hexham and North Shields, Alexandra (25) and Simon (27) joined St Andrews from opposite ends of the country, London and Stirling. Both were attracted by the high standard of their respective departments, and also by the ‘small and friendly nature’ of the town. Alexandra was further attracted to the lively music scene and, during her time at St Andrews, has performed as soloist with the University Symphony Orchestra, sung for the Chapel Choir, directed several musical productions and written and performed her own musical, ‘Esther’.

Though they didn’t attend the same classes, Simon and Alexandra vaguely knew each other during their undergraduate days and graduated with first class honours in Physics (2001) and Mathematics (2002), respectively. Both stayed on at St Andrews however to undertake PhDs and it was during the course of those studies that romance finally blossomed.

Simon explained, “We had lots of mutual friends during our undergraduate days, but didn’t properly have a chance to get to know each other until they’d all left! It wasn’t quite love at first sight, but when thrown together by circumstance, with offices in the same building, we soon discovered how suited we were.”

A year later, the pair married according to tradition in the University’s St Salvator’s Chapel. The ceremony, on 7th August 2004, was attended by numerous other couples who had also met at St Andrews, with fellow students taking on the roles of best man and bridesmaid.

Alexandra commented, “The fact that our wedding was attended by so many fellow student couples illustrates the oft-quoted fact that if you come here, you have a high chance of getting hitched!”

Happily for the couple, both have secured research positions at the University, with the Schools of Mathematics and Physics & Astronomy.

ENDS Issued by Beattie Media – www.beattiegroup.com on behalf of the University of St Andrews

Contact Gayle Cook, Press Officer on 01334 467227 / 462529, mobile 07900 050 103, or email gec3@st- andrews.ac.uk

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