​​We mourn the loss of our colleague Carmelita Talmarkes, who passed away on Wednesday 21 July 2021. She was part of the SU International team for nearly 13 years.

Carmelita specialised in evaluating the foreign school qualifications of non-South African applicants for SU's undergraduate programmes. She also collaborated extensively with the Contact and Client Services Centre and the Central Admissions Office.

With the help of Academic Administration and colleagues in SU International's Services Centre, Carmelita worked with many prospective students and their parents to assist the students to apply, obtain admission, prepare for their journey to Stellenbosch, and register upon their arrival. Many benefitted from her personal attention and guidance.

The SU International team will always remember her love and pride for her daughter, her giggle in the kitchen, and her loyalty towards the entire SU International community.

We will sorely miss her knowledge and her quiet yet often critical contributions. May she rest in peace.

Sharing of memories and tributes:

Norma Derby, Centre for Collaboration in Africa:

“I will remember Carmelita as a self-driven, a highly motivated intellectual who excelled academically, with her ambition to continually acquire knowledge, she was also contemplating her master's studies as the next level of academic excellence. While she was loving & affectionate by nature, she was the go-getter that could wrap her mind around the simple things in life and at times she was simply just difficult to ensure that what must be right, must be right. As contemporaries​, I shall sorely miss our chats in the parking lot, bouncing-off ideas in her office and on a lighter note our gossiping in the corridor. Rest in peace, dearest Carmelita."

Sue-Vicky Brandt, Centre for Collaboration in Africa:

“In the short few years that we were colleagues we shared such a special bond.  Our lunch dates would be our catch-up sessions, where we would laugh so hard, we had to close the office door.  I also had the privilege to travel with you to Namibia where I could see your face lit up when you spoke to prospective students and I would always remind you of the important job we do at the International office in shaping the future of these students.  On this trip did we really enjoyed each other's company and we would sit and chat till the early hours of the morning. I will miss you so much but will carry you in my heart forever.  May you rest in peace and rise in glory, till we meet again."

Yolanda Johnson, Global Education Centre:

The fondest memory for me of Carmelita has to be my very first end of year function with the office in 2010. Where we dressed up as musical icons and she dressed up as her favourite musical icon “Madonna".. and I was Cindi Lauper...

We ended up doing karaoke that night and obviously, I screeched like a cat but thanks to Carmelita our little group act, which included Sanchia was saved with her actual capacity to sing.

I will remember her not only for this but for someone with whom you could have a sincere and heartfelt conversation and if needed, we could laugh until our stomachs ached. We commiserated on raising pre-teen and then teenage daughters and I can attest to the fact that Tara is indeed her pride and joy.

This still feel surreal to be writing a tribute to someone who has just celebrated her Golden Jubilee for her birthday. There was so much for life left to live.

She will always be missed and cherished.

XXXX

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