An Alumni Relations Co-Ordinator under the Advancement and Alumni Relations unit at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), Ronelle Lyson has been striving for excellence in all that she does. She graduatied Cum Laude and obtained the prestigious Dean’s Merit Award for academic excellence for her Advanced Diploma in Management Sciences specialising in Public Relations Management at the DUT 2024 Autumn Graduation ceremony, which took place at the Olive Convention Centre on Monday, 27 May 2024.
Lyson (37) from Malvern, Durban lives by DUT’s ENVISION2030 principle of excellence, which motivated her to strive for academic excellence in her studies. This was after deciding to further her studies 17 years later after obtaining her Diploma.
Speaking about her academic journey at DUT, Lyson revealed that it was encouraged by her Director, Mr Zwakele Ngubane.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to my Director, Mr Zwakele Ngubane, who constantly encouraged me to further my studies and upskill myself. It took me a year to commit and take his advice to advancing my academic qualification,” she shared.
Some of her duties in the Advancement and Alumni Relations unit include developing and implementing strategies to engage alumni through various communication channels. She is also responsible for coordinating alumni events such as alumni reunions, networking sessions and fundraising initiatives. Lyson uses feedback from alumni surveys to continuously improve alumni relations programmes and services at DUT.
Sharing her excitement on graduating Cum Laude with a Dean’s Merit Award, she said: “I feel extremely grateful, and I am humbled by receiving these prestigious accolades. It has been a journey of super early mornings, dedication, and growth all through the grace of God. I don’t take this honour lightly and I know that it is not only the reflection of my academic achievement but also because of my incredible support system who has walked this journey with me.”
According to Lyson balancing work and studies was an uphill climb every day. She recalled waking up at 04h30 every day to get to work by 06h00, to prep for her workday and get as much work done as possible before attending her lectures. She revealed that her course was full time and in contact.
“I had to set goals and stick to them by managing my time and seeking assistance from my work team whenever I needed it. It took a significant amount of discipline on how I spent my time however in the end it was all worth it as my rewards are the academic achievements, resilience, and personal growth that I now have,” added Lyson.
During her studies, she faced the challenge of aligning theory to practical experience. At some point she found herself being very vocal in class about how the industry executes tasks compared to what the theory was guiding them on. She had to take a step back and take the theory being taught and implement it into her work life, to enhance her work. She shared that she has seen the improvement in certain aspects of her work life which she has adopted the theory into. She is certain that one is never too old to learn something new and make it work for them.
She is currently completing her Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations and plans to complete her Master’s and PhD all in due time. Her aim is to one day become a respected professional in the field of public relations. She aspires to always create a positive impact in any project that she implements and in turn build strong relationships which provide a positive outcome for DUT.
“I aspire to continually learn, grow, and make meaningful contributions to the DUT, ultimately leaving a lasting impression through beneficial communication strategies and ethical practices,” shared Lyson.
Pictured: Ronelle Lyson at her graduation.
Photographer: Mnqobi Ngobese.
Simangele Zuma
