280 Graduates from the National Trade and Banking School Received Their Diplomas in Maxima Aula

The ceremony on awarding diplomas to the graduates of the National Trade and Banking School /NTBS/ was held in the emblematic Maxima Aula of UNWE. The ceremony was attended by Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova, Vice-Rector for Educational Activities and Prof. Dr. Tsvetana Stoyanova, Vice-Rector for Institutional and Business Cooperation and Student Policies, Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschian, President of the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria, the Managing body of NTBS, class teachers, teachers, friends.

The Director of NTBS Emilia Ivanova opened the ceremony of the official awarding of diplomas to the graduates of the 110^th graduating class of the high school. It is the graduating class of 2023 which consists of 10 classes with a total of 280 pupils. "Thank you, dear graduates, for being our pupils. Thank you, dear parents, for choosing our school. Thank you, dear teachers, for giving knowledge and education to these pupils", said the Director of the high school.

"I would like to greet you, dear students, on today's holiday. It is the celebration of your maturity. I am confident that many of you will be students at our university. Some of you have already been admitted to your desired specialities through the national competitions of which you are laureates. Others will very soon cross the threshold of the University having made their choice in the extremely wide variety of Bachelor`s degree specialities. Maxima Aula is emblematic because in it we award diplomas not only to you for completing your secondary education but also to those who have graduated their Bachelor's and Master's degrees. I wish you in 4 years to meet here again as successfully graduated Bachelors of our university", said Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova in her greeting to the graduates.

"Dear graduates, it is a great pleasure for me to be part of your triumph of knowledge today because the graduation from the National Trade and Banking School is truly that. I would like to greet every one of you for the efforts you have made to get so far, for the work and persistence that have accompanied you to receive your secondary school diplomas. I am sure that you have felt the magnetism of our University in the Maxima Aula, you have felt the spirit that reigns at the UNWE. I will be very happy if I see you here in September for the opening of the new academic year. I have always said that the pupils of the National Trade and Banking School are some of the strongest ones so we will be happy to welcome you to our Alma Mater", said Prof. Dr. Tsvetana Stoyanova.

Today the greetings "Good luck from the National Trade and Banking School" combine with "Welcome to the UNWE", said in her emotional speech the President of the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschian. She pointed out that the pupils should be proud to have graduated from that high school which has outstanding achievements in many fields. Prof. Feschian systematized the distinctive features of NTBS by pointing out:  "NTBS is the school with the highest admission score among vocational schools in the country in the last 20 years. Since 1997, it has been a full member of the PEN WORLDWIDE global network of learning enterprises. More than 500 learning enterprises have been set up in NTBS. For the first time pupils "work" in 20 learning banks, 6 learning insurance companies and 34 learning companies. NTBS has participated in 24 national and 76 international school fairs receiving more than 400 individual and team awards from the United States, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Finland, Slovakia, Latvia, and Costa Rica.

"I would like to express thankfulness to the outstanding teaching staff due to whom these achievements become reality, to greet the Director Emilia Ivanova, the Deputy Directors Lyuba Stoykova and Kalina Gergova and especially the longstanding teacher educating winners of national competitions, the author of textbooks and programmes, the great teacher Margarita Kotseva", addressed Prof. Feschian in her speech to the teaching staff. She noted that the UNWE has a long-standing partnership with the NTBS and that they are the first member of the Association of Economic Schools in Bulgaria, member with whom the Association have worked and still work on various initiatives, competitions, participations.

280 graduates from 10 classes from XII A to XII K received their secondary school diplomas.

Irina Koleva from XII B class received first her diploma which is Excellent /6.00/. It was awarded by Prof. Dr. Tsvetana Stoyanova.

"Our common path is coming to an end, dear classmates, we have passed an important stage in our lives, for which I would like to thank to our teachers, to whom we owe a lot, who besides teachers were also our friends. Thank you!", said Irina Koleva to her teachers.

Yana Ilian Toncheva who also graduated with Excellent /6.00/ received her diploma from Prof. Dr. Matilda Alexandrova.

Tsvetomira Ilieva received her diploma Excellent /5.98/ from Prof. Dr. Daniela Feschian.

Diliana Dimitrova from XII G class graduated with Excellent /5.97/.

The graduates, wearing formal togas and caps for the first time, expressed their joy at the graduation ceremony by throwing their caps in the air.