​Stellenbosch University (SU) graduate and self-confessed mathematics junkie Mpendulo Cele recently walked away with a 2021 Rector's Award in the top Master's student category.

The annual Rector's Award of Excellent Achievement recognises and celebrates the achievements of students in the areas of academics, sport, leadership, social impact, culture and service provision. Cele was one of many top achievers who received their awards on 7 October 2021.

“I am honoured to receive this award," said Cele, who graduated with a Master's degree in Mathematics. “The hard work that my supervisor, Dr Sophie Marques, and I put in has paid off."

Cele, who grew up in the care of his grandmother in Izonglweni, a rural area in the southern part of KwaZulu-Natal, has had a long walk with mathematics. His love for the subject started in high school, and he says at the time he was unsure as to what job opportunities he could pursue with a qualification in mathematics. However, Cele said he knew that the subject “would not be useless."

Following his passion for mathematics, he graduated with a BSc degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2017. He then completed a BScHons degree in Mathematics with a focus on number theory. Cele then decided to further pursue studies in the field of number theory.

“I contacted Dr Marques and asked if she could supervise me. She agreed and recommended that I register for my Master's at SU. What attracted me to the Stellenbosch Mathematics Division was that there were so many researchers with an interest in number theory whom I could learn from."

It was also Dr Marques who recommended that he should apply for the ALGANT scholarship − a competitive international programme in Algebra, Geometry and Number Theory − to strengthen his foundational knowledge in number theory.

“I would like to thank Dr Marques, SU's Mathematics Division and ALGANT for all the support and guidance they gave me," said Cele.

He said SU provided an excellent environment for him to study as well as opportunities to attend seminars, which allowed him to network with experts in different fields and share ideas.

Cele, the first in his family to graduate from university, has the following advice for students and prospective students: “It is critical to pursue a degree that you are passionate about as this makes one eager to learn more, even outside the classroom."

He is currently working as a software engineer and recently registered for a part-time PhD at SU.

Click here to read more about the Rector's Awards and recipients. 

*A total of 82 top Stellenbosch University (SU) students were recently honoured with Rector's Awards for excellence in academics, leadership, social impact, culture, sport and service provision. During the next few weeks, we will feature some of the winners.