Outstanding students saluted

Good work: Katleho Mdlalose (centre), winner of five prizes at the recent EDU awards ceremonies, is congratulated by Sanlam's Lerato Molebatsi and Daniel Munene, co-ordinator in the Faculty of Commerce.

Celebrations were the order of two evenings as the Educational Development Unit (EDU) in the Faculty of Commerce hosted award ceremonies to recognise students' outstanding academic achievements.

First up, at a Sanlam-sponsored event on 8 August, 54 students on the 2004-2008 academic development BBusSc programme were fêted. A week later, 102 students on the academic development BCom programme received similar honours at the EDU Saville Foundation Awards ceremony.

Among the winners was Nkosodumo Mfini, who was voted Academic Development Student of the Year by his fellow students, for leading by example, dedication and for his contributions to the programme and his fellow students.

Another big winner was business-science student Katleho Mdlalose, who earned first place out of all students registered in 2006, and also took subject awards for financial reporting I, management accounting I, finance, and advanced macroeconomics and microeconomics.

Both occasions were marked by joyous celebrations as students, guests and staff gathered as "an extended family in the spirit of ubuntu". There was singing, drum beating, dancing, poetry, inspirational words by Dean of Commerce Professor Melvin Ayogu and Professor Ian Scott, director of Academic Development at UCT, as well as heartfelt talks by students on their experiences on the programmes.

The best: Nkosodumo Mfini, flanked by Dr June Pym and Sherry Stuart, was voted as the Academic Development Student of the Year.