The DUT Sports Management Department recently hosted its annual Third Year Presentations at the ML Sultan Campus.

This year, the topic was Depression, Post-Natal Depression and Anxiety. Students were tasked to create awareness campaigns on the topic among their chosen groups. The groups then handed in support documents and presented on the topic.

Marks from the presentations will hugely contribute towards the students’ final mark as they (the presentations) were one of the Department’s major assignments.

Collen Lotz, a Lecturer in the Department, said the presentations are beneficial to the students as they provide them with a practical application in a ‘real’ case study relating to health, wellness and marketing strategies. “These presentations allow students to see how the theory of exercise physiology and sport psychology impacts on various health conditions.

The marketing research shows students that the majority of populations are uneducated on the benefits of regular physical activity and exercise. The students then develop marketing campaigns to educate specific target markets,” she said.

First on the agenda was the Wellness Campaign where students presented on Post-Natal Depression. The group pulled out all stops as their presentation included an entertaining and informative video and an interview with DUT Student Counselling and Health Psychologist, Candice Leith, who gave expert knowledge regarding the topic. Third-year Sport Management student, Tyrone Rudolph, who was a member of this group shared his experience in working on the assignment.

“The assignment allowed the group to gain a better understanding of the chosen topic (Post-Natal Depression), which I am sure many knew about but didn’t know the finer details of such a condition and what it is capable of doing to a new mother. The assignment made us realise that no matter what the situation, you need to work together as a group in order to successfully conclude a given task”, he said.

Rudolph added that the Sport Management Department is doing a brilliant job in educating the University at large on social illnesses.

– Talent Buthelezi

Pictured: Lecturers together with students at the annual third-year Sports Management Presentations.