Twin brothers Adrian and Ainsley Dondo have graduated from the same university with the same degree, marking another milestone in a lifelong journey they have shared together.
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The 22-year-olds from Bradford, England, walked across the stage side by side at Keele University to receive their biomedical science degrees.
"It felt surreal," Adrian said. "Walking down that aisle hearing my name was great, and knowing my brother was right behind felt great."
The brothers are now set to begin internships in Milton Keynes as they work toward becoming qualified biomedical scientists.
Twin Brothers Graduate Together With the Same Degree
Born just one minute apart, Adrian and Ainsley spent four years studying alongside one another after deciding to attend the same university because of their shared interests and close bond.
"Initially the whole idea was to stick together. University was a massive thing moving on from college and the A-level life, we had always been abiding with each other then. To go to university, it didn't make sense for us to separate," Adrian said.
The brothers lived in neighboring rooms throughout their studies and both represented Keele University's basketball team, continuing a passion for the sport they had shared since childhood.
They also relied on each other to stay motivated during assignments, coursework and exam periods.
"Studying alongside each other made the whole experience feel much less daunting," Adrian added. "We always had someone to bounce ideas off, revise with and support one another, which made preparing for exams far less stressful."
"If one of us wasn't feeling up to attending a lecture or starting coursework, the other would give that extra push to stay on track."
Brothers Supported Each Other Throughout University
In a statement, Keele University said Ainsley experienced "personal circumstances that affected his studies" during his time on the course.
He said in a university press release that his brother helped him rebuild his confidence and stay focused on completing his degree.
"Going through university together gave us confidence while encouraging us to become more independent," he said. "We also had to make a conscious effort to build our own identities rather than always being seen as 'the twins'."
"Watching each other navigate the highs and lows of university, supporting one another through exams and coursework, and celebrating every achievement along the way has made the experience incredibly rewarding."
The brothers also kept each other motivated through a friendly rivalry, making small bets over who would earn the higher grades.
Adrian said they always used the competition to encourage each other to achieve the best results possible. In the end, both brothers graduated with upper second-class honors (2:1).
