Stellenbosch University (SU) honoured 87 students last night (11 October) who excelled in areas ranging from academics to co-curricular fields at the annual Rector's Awards for Excellent Achievement.
Prof Wim de Villiers, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor, said at the event that this Award ceremony is an important highlight on the University's calendar, especially in 2018 as it is also SU's Centenary year.
“In 2018 we are reflecting on the past and the lessons learned. We are also going forward. One of our themes is to create a transformative student experience. We want to ensure that the University is accessible to all students and then to enable them to be successful. We want access as well as success," De Villiers said.
Dr Wynoma Michaels, who received the Student Representative Council (SRC) Award for Exceptional Alumni from outgoing chair Lwando Nkamisa, was a guest speaker.
Michaels was in 1998 elected as the first coloured student to be SRC chair. It was also in that year that the majority of the SRC members were female and made out nine of the 15 members. She is presently a business and management consultant who gained business experience as a consultant in the agriculture and food and beverage sectors, as well in the service industry. She started her career as a scientist and obtained a PhD in Polymer Chemistry from SU. She presently owns the business Wynoma Michaels Consult.
In her captivating speech, she prepared students for the opportunities and challenges awaiting them after their studies. “You need to find out what drives you, what is your purpose. Living a life of purpose is usually not about ourselves. It is about living beyond ourselves. Recognition, success and promotion are great, but should it not rather be the products of purpose than the purpose itself….? Seeking after recognition and promotion can cause us to deviate from our purpose or become our purpose."
“When we are driven by purpose, our definition of success changes as success then is not merely about ourselves, but more about WHO we want to become rather than WHAT we want to achieve," Michaels said.
She warned them that the biggest challenge when entering the marketplace is not to get “sucked into the 'hamster on the wheel' of more promotions, bigger salaries, bigger offices, bigger clients, bigger cars. “Relax. Yes, let this come, but should it be at the expense of our purpose…? Should these things not be a by-product of living a life of purpose…?"
Michaels received a standing ovation from the guests after her speech.
The following students were the recipients of the SU Medal for Top Magister Student: Michelle Eckert (AgriScience); Jessica Lee Staple (Arts and Social Sciences), Maria de Man (Education), Johann Pfitzinger (Economic and Management Sciences), Corinna Jeske (Medicine and Health Sciences), Johann Christiaan van der Walt (Engineering), Melise Steyn (Science), Kerry-Terry Lamb (Law); Refilwe Maria Mahlaku ( Military Science) and Juanita Greyvenstein (Theology).
The other students that received awards for co-curricular achievements were:
Rector's Award for Excellent Sport Achievement: Lwazi Madi; Jacques Lloyd; Charmaine Baard; Stephanie Brand; Emma Chelius; Nicky Giliomee; David Bedingham; Keenan Horne; James Murphy.
Rector's Award for Excellent Contribution to Culture:Mercy Kannemeyer; Shaen Maré
Rector's Award for Excellent Social Impact: Avuyile Mbangatha; Ben Moolman; Cailin Perrie; Ashleigh Purdon
Rector's Award for Excellent Service Provision: Rabia Abba Omar; Eduard Beukman; Garrick Blok; Jeanine Botha; Lize-Mari Doubell
Rector's Award for Excellent Leadership: Anthony Andrews; Wiann Bester; Chanté du Plessis; Jauné Gouws; Nhlakanipho Mahagane; Fatima Ouiza Mazari; Lethiwe Mbatha; Ben Moolman; Tevarus Naicker; Eduard Roos; Victoria Thomas; Rhys Williams; Eduard Beukman.
Dr Michaels full speech:
Videographer: Stefan Els
