NDABA MAY 2006.pmd - University of KwaZulu-Natal

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GraduationFirst inlanguagesFRANCES HEATHCOTE graduatedsumma cum laude and top ofher class in both French andGerman.Currently a boarder mistress at alocal girl’s school, Ms Heathcotecompleted a Bachelor of Artsdegree on the Pietermaritzburgcampus. She has achieved consistentlygood results and receivedfunding from the Universitythroughout her studies. She alsoreceived a bursary from theGerman Embassy and was able tomake sponsored trips to ReunionIsland and Germany.“I firmly believe that what weachieve is 90% the result of hardwork and only 10% because ofability. While some may possessmore talent and capability thanothers, we all have the same abilityNEWLY-QUALIFIED mechanicalengineer Jean Pitot, who graduatedas the top engineering student atUKZN, is inspired by the pioneeringspirit of innovation, adventureand creativity that defines theprofession for him.Mr Pitot (22) believes that theengineering profession “is at the4Frances Heathcote.to work hard. If Columbus hadturned back before he reachedAmerica, no-one would haveblamed him but no-one would haveremembered him either.”Top engineerJean Pitot.heart of the advancement of mankindin every shape and form”.He is currently working on hisMasters project at the University.This involves research into theadvanced analysis of compositematerial rocket nozzles. It willenable him to study an aerospacerelatedtopic.A hard-working person who has adesire to succeed, Mr Pitot says thatthe secret to his success is “probablya collection of values thatcharacterise who I am”. His adviceto students is that “what you put inis what you get out”. He doesn’tbelieve, however, in the need toturn one’s bedroom into a studysweatshop. Instead, he advocatesstudying smart and making sure ofpriorities.Pharmacy starLaw boffinCANDIDATE attorney LeishenPillay was named top law studentfor the past four years of hisacademic career. He is serving hisarticles at Strauss Daly AttorneysIncorporated in uMhlanga Rocks.Leishen (22) loves litigation oncommercial matters but at StraussDaly Inc. he is being exposed to thewhole gamut of property law. Hebelieves the legal profession is agood foundation for everything inlife, because it allows one to makean informed opinion.He attributes his success to dedicationand commitment and heFORMER gardener and constructionworker Mxolisi RusselMchunu has received his Mastersdegree in History. Mr Mchunu, whoworks as an educational officer andlectures in History, hails fromKwaShange near Pietermaritzburg.While still at school, he decided topursue “this something called‘Masters degree’ even though I hadno clue what it meant”. Afterfinishing matric in 1996 he workedas a gardener and in a road constructioncompany, which paid himR350 a month. He enrolled in anaccess programme at the formerUniversity of Natal in 1998, andwent on to study at the former Universityof Durban-Westville to doa teaching degree. But lack offinances still posed a challenge. Hehad a good matric, but only discoveredhe qualified for remissionof fees late in the day.He gave up his studies in teachingand went on a Media and Com-points out that nothing is possiblewithout the combination of the twoelements.Leishen Pillay.Overcominghurdlesmunications degree at HowardCollege. He received a KillieCampbell bursary, TEFSA andBlack Academia Scholarship topursue further studies.Mxolisi Mchunu.“Womencanexcelcel”MRS Sindile Amina Ngubane isnot only a wife and a mother ofthree children, she is also a topstudent who graduated summa cumlaude with a Bachelor of EducationHonours in Educational Technology.After teaching for four years, MrsNgubane realised that what she wasearning could not give her childrenthe type of education and life thatshe wanted to provide for them. Sheleft teaching to becoming a fulltimestudent. She admits that it wasnot easy, and that sometimes herchildren did not understand whyshe had to be away from them allthe time.She is registered for a MastersDegree in Digital Media Studieswhich involves the development ofdigital teaching materials, creationand maintenance of websites,collection of data and data analysisusing digital means and software.Her future plans include studyingtowards a PhD, and research usingdigital means in the field of educationand communication.“The best way of motivating yourselfis to always be positive andbelieve that you are doing it foryour personal growth and a betterfuture. To all the women, includingmothers, wives, grandmothers outthere, know that you can excel aslong as you learn how to manageyour time. Seeing yourself in abetter world with your familyalways drives you to succeed”, shesaid.Stories: Bhekani Dlamini andThembeka DlungwanePictures: Bhekani Dlamini, JeevaRajgopaul and suppliedPHARMACY graduate Sumayya Motala graduated summa cum laude, obtaining more than 85% in all her courses over four years of study. She is currently serving a one-yearinternship at King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban.Her ultimate goal is to go into industrial research and do a Masters degree in pharmacology through part-time study. “Hard work and dedication helped me achieve this. You haveto enjoy what you are doing, just like I love pharmacy. It opens up vast opportunities. I can teach, work in industry or the public sector.” Ms Motala was inspired by her aunt whowas a pharmacist.She advises fellow students “to attend lectures all the time, create a good working relationship with lecturers and be self-disciplined”. She adds that voicing your concerns, doingextra work and striking a balance between fun and work lead to success. She misses her fun days at the University.
specialDoctors allA family affairNINETY five candidates received their doctorates at the graduationceremonies in May. Among them were:Mxolisi Ngcongo, whose thesiswas entitled “A sociological studyof sex education in a primaryschool”.Graeme Shannon, who studied the“Effects of sexual Dimorphism onthe Movements and ForagingEcology of the African Elephant”.TWO husband and wife teams whograduated prove that love anddedication go a long way towardssuccess.Phakamile (known as PK) and hiswife, Nqobile Vicky Madonsela area case in point. Phakamile is aPrincipal Accounting Officer deployedfor the past year as CampusFinancial Manager, Howard College& Medical School. He hasserved on numerous decisionmakingbodies at the University.Mxolisi Ngcongo.Nqobile is an environmentalscientist and a registered ProfessionalNatural Scientist. Afterhaving spent the first five years ofher career with the Council forScientific and Industrial Research(CSIR), she recently joined GolderAssociates Africa, an internationalenvironmental and engineeringconsulting firm, as an environmentalpractitioner.The couple met 10 years ago at theUniversity of Swaziland whilstdoing undergraduate study. Theyjoined the then University of Natal,got married in 2001 and enrolled fora Postgraduate Diploma in BusinessManagement and Bachelor ofScience Honours, respectively.Having achieved this goal, the nextstep was Masters Degrees.Phakamile and Vicky Madonsela.Phakamile received his Master ofBusiness Administration (MBA) on13 May, while Nqobile graduatedon 8 May with a Master of Science(MSc) (Environmental Science)degree. The couple celebrated theirfifth wedding anniversary on12 May. Their secret for success?“Support each other at all times, anddraw from each other’s strengthswhen the road gets long andhard.”Mr David and Mrs Ganesh Govenderalso celebrated their joint achievements.While he received his NationalProfessional Diploma in Education(NPDE) (summa cum laude), shewas awarded a Bachelor of Com-merce in Business and InformationSystems.The newlyweds tied the knot on7 January this year. Mr Govender,a teacher, is currently doing anAdvanced Certificate in Education(ACE), while Mrs Govender is registeredfor a BCom Honours degree.She advises other couples that “nomatter how busy they are, they mustalways take an hour a day and justtalk to each other about your dayover a cup of tea/coffee togetherand at least once a week go outand forget about all the work youhave to do. Just enjoy each other’scompany while you can”.Graeme Shannon.No obstacle too greatVISUALLY impaired student,Dharshan Naidu received his BAHonours degree in IndustrialOrganisational and Labour Studies.Mr Naidu is currently involved inresearch for his Masters thesis onthe effectiveness of the disabilityDharshan is accompanied by his brother Rushen Naidu.grant for the visually impaired. Hesays that UKZN has all the necessaryresources, but not enough staffto help blind students. He thanksall staff in the Industrial Organisationaland Labour Studies fortheir continued support, especiallyProfessor Ari Sitas.Dreams fulfilledDESPITE finding the University“disabled unfriendly” Free StaterAndrew Lifalakhe Smith.Andrew Lifalakhe Smith (27)graduated with his LLB. Hehopes to represent the needs ofdisabled people in Parliament oneday.Zodwa Zwane (32) graduated witha Bachelor of Social Sciences andDevelopment Studies. She says thatshe is determined to break thestereotypes surrounding disabledpeople. “We may do things differently,but with the right attitude,nothing is impossible.”Thirty one year-old TembinkosiShezi received a degree in Mediaand Communication Studies. Hisstudies were financed by the Departmentof Labour. Tembinkosi,who hails from Mariannhill, wouldlike to start an organisation forpeople with disabilities in hiscommunity. His dream is to workfor companies like Vodacom andTelkom.ChallengeDR Nicholas Waterman receivedhis PhD in Business Administrationfor his study on “Commercial SexWork in Maseru: an exploratorystudy of public policy-making inLesotho”.Having witnessed the desperationof young girls soliciting in the mainthoroughfares of Lesotho’s capitalwhere he worked, he observed thatthere was no public acknowledgementof their presence, despite thefact that the country has a highprevalence of HIV/Aids.Living in Maseru for the durationof his research, Dr Waterman hadto travel 1 200 km to Durban toattend lectures, tutorials and writeexaminations.He describes the programme atUKZN as “well-structured and flexibleenough to adapt to my own personaland professional interests”.5
Page 3: Face2Faceukzndaba speaks to Kesh Go
Page 7 and 8: UKZN achieversScientist elected toW

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