Just over a hundred merit and special awards (including more than a dozen Dux awards) were made to George Campus students who had performed exceptionally well in their studies during the past academic year, or during their entire course.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Sibongile Muthwa, delivered an inspiring address to the students, recognising their excellent performance, while also acknowledging their dedication and hard work, as well as the support they have received from their families, academic staff and their communities. She quoted an African proverb stating that “Success is a ladder which cannot be climbed with hands in your pocket”.
She also encouraged the awards recipients to “,… think deeply about ways in which you can use your knowledge and skills for the expansion of human understanding; pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge in all sciences to cultivate humanity; and contributing to the well-being of our cities, our provinces, our nation, our continent and our world”. “In this way as our merit award recipients you will make a significant contribution to the quest of Mandela University for a more equal and socially-just world”, she said.
Students qualify for an Academic Merit Award if they obtain a weighted average of at least 75% for the annual prescribed modules. In addition, Dux-awards were made to several of the merit awards recipients for consistently meeting or exceeding the criteria for excellence, either during the particular year of study, or for the entire programme (duration of the course).
Awards were made to students in various programmes across three faculties represented at the Mandela University’s George Campus – namely the Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences; Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and IT; as well as Science Faculty.
The awards were presented by the Executive Deans of the various faculties, supported by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Sibongile Muthwa.
The Executive Dean of Business and Economic Sciences, Prof Hendrik Lloyd and VC, Prof Sibongile Muthwa (on the right) with some of the students in the management, marketing, tourism, business studies and BCom programmes who had met the excellence criteria for receiving an academic merit award.
A proud Dr Sue Petratos (Engineering, The Built Environment and IT Faculty, left) and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Sibongile Muthwa, with Ms Luyanda Ngwenya, recipient of a merit award for excellence in her studies for the Higher Certificate Information Technology (User Support Services). She was also acknowledged as the 2018 Dux student in this programme.
Excelling Science Faculty students in the Agricultural Management, Game Ranch Management and Nature Conservation programmes with Prof Muthwa (VC, right)) and the Executive Dean of Science, Prof Azwinndini Muronga.
Additional accolades … Prof Azwinndini Muronga (left) and Prof Sibongile Muthwa were also on hand to acknowledge Dux students, Brandon Giddey (Game Ranch Management), Carmella-Lorna Smith (Agricultural Management), Terry-Lee Honiball (BTech degree in Game Ranch Management) and Baileigh Miles (Nature Conservation).
Accolades to all excelling students in the Forestry, Wood Technology and Veldfire Management Programmes.
A second round of congratulations went to the following Dux students featured here with Executive Dean of Science, Prof Azwinndini Muronga (left) and Prof Sibongile Muthwa, Mandela University Vice Chancellor (right) - (f.l.t.r.) Science Faculty Administrative Staff member, Sonia Roets was the Dux student for part-time studies for the Higher Certificate Veldfire Management, while Annita Mthelekiso was the best student in the full-time version of this programme. Ntombekhaya Kobi received a special award as the top 3rd year Wood Technology student for 2018, with Peter Müller as the best 1st year student in this programme. Ilke Opperman and Chamkile Mdluli shared the accolade as BTech Forestry Dux students, while Nkosingiphile Mhlongo excelled as the Dux student in her final year of studies for the Diploma in Forestry.