Leading the group of graduates in SUNCEP is Dr Elza Lourens, Physical Sciences facilitator in SciMathUS who received her PhD degree. Dr Lourens explored graduates' transition into first-time employment.
Lionel Hartzenberg, a former SciMathUS student obtained a MSc degree in Plant biotechnology. He is one of 77 former UPP students who graduated in December at Stellenbosch University; 39 former SciMathUS students and 38 former HOPE@Maties students.
The biggest group of graduates (24) are students with degrees in the Economic and Management Sciences. Five of them obtained post-graduate qualifications. Seventeen students obtained different Sciences degrees from the Faculties of Science and Agrisciences. Three students obtained post-graduate degrees.
A group of seventeen former students are ready to enter the teaching profession. Eight of them are BEd-graduates while 9 were enrolled in the post-graduate certificate in Education course during 2016.
From the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences two former students qualified as Medical doctors, two as Physiotherapists and one as an Occupational therapist. One student obtained a BSc honors degree in Human Life Sciences.
This group further boasts two Engineers; one a Megatronical and one a Chemical Engineer.
"We are extremely delighted about this group of graduates, the biggest we have had thus far," says Dr Trevor van Louw, Director of SUNCEP. "When they started their higher education, these students were all part of one of the two university preparation programmes, HOPE@Maties and SciMathUS, offered at our centre. Today they are professional young people, proud alumni of SUNCEP and of this university."
SUNCEP is keenly awaiting the NSC results of this year's group of about 400 students who attended the HOPE@Maties and SciMathUS programmes. Most of these students have been accepted at SU provisionally. "If the past is anything to go by, we will be celebrating these youngsters' success as well", says Dr van Louw.
PHOTO: BCom and BCom Honors former SciMathUS and HOPE@Maties students
