Glenalmond College marked the end of the school year on Saturday, 4 July with Commem, welcoming two distinguished guest speakers: former Scotland rugby captain and Glenalmond alumnus, Rob Wainwright OBE, and Alex Mejia, Division Director at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
The day, a highlight of the College calendar, brought together pupils, parents, staff and alumni to celebrate the achievements of the past year, with prizewinners from across the school recognised across a range of subjects.
For Rob Wainwright, the return to Perthshire was a homecoming. Brought up and educated at Glenalmond before studying medicine at Magdalene College, Cambridge where he gained Blues in both rugby and boxing, he went on to win 37 caps for Scotland between 1992 and 1998, captaining the national side 16 times and touring South Africa with the British & Irish Lions in 1997. Alongside his rugby career, he served as a doctor with the Royal Army Medical Corps, reaching the rank of Major.
His address to pupils came just one week after he was appointed OBE in recognition of his charitable work, including his extensive fundraising for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Speaking to pupils, he urged them to maintain a sense of ambition as they travel through the world, always pursuing the next goals and milestones in life and reminded them never to be defined by their mistakes.
He was joined by Alex Mejia, a senior United Nations director with more than 25 years’ experience in international affairs, diplomacy and public policy, who spoke to pupils about young leadership at the United Nations.
The speakers’ themes of sport and global opportunity reflect a landmark year for the College. Glenalmond recently announced a pioneering partnership with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, the first of its kind in the world. This will see pupils aged 14 to 17 take part in a new entrepreneurship programme from October 2026, culminating in a showcase at Oxford in spring 2027.
It follows the College’s partnership with Chelsea FC, the first between a Scottish independent school and a Premier League club, which is bringing Chelsea FC coaching to Glenalmond, including this summer’s football camps, open to pupils and the wider community alike.
Professor Basak Akdemir, Chairperson of Glenalmond College, said: “We are enormously proud of everything our pupils have achieved this year, in the classroom, on the stage and on the pitch. Commem is our moment to celebrate them and who better to inspire them as they look to the future than one of our own, Rob Wainwright. His journey from Glenalmond to captaining Scotland, and now to being honoured forhis charitable work shows our pupils just how far character, commitment and service can take them. With our new partnerships with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and Chelsea FC, we are opening doors for our pupils that no other school in Scotland can.”
Prizes were presented to pupils across all year groups, recognising excellence in academic subjects, the creative arts and sport.
Commem brought the 2025–2026 school year to a fitting close with pupils departing for the summer, and the College looking ahead to a year unlike any in its history as it enters its 180th year.
Categories: Glenalmond College
