For 22-year-old Roxanne Walker, excelling in whatever she does has become second nature to her.
She graduated cum laude in Human Resources last year (2013) and achieved 13 distinctions from 15 subjects for her diploma. Her discipline and dedication to her studies were key factors to her success. On Monday next week (14 April 2014), Walker will yet again graduate with cum laude for her Btech in Human Resources Management and also receive the prestigious Dean’s Merit Award for Academic Excellence at the Durban University of Technology.
The dynamic “people’s person” has achieved distinctions in all 6 subjects in her Btech studies, with percentages ranging between 92 percentand 100 percent. Walker is inspired by her late mother Belinda Walker, “has never failed at anything she undertook.” The inspirational DUT student added, “My mother always encouraged me to work hard and to not give in to a simple life. She told me the only way to become a success is by working hard and studying extra. I was never a bright, straight ‘A ‘student. All the hard work, late-night studying, words of encouragement and sacrifice paid off, and I have God, my (late) mom and dedication to thank for that.”
Her family were amazed at her academic success. Her sister Kaylee (19) is studying Marketing, her father Randy is a Financial Accountant Manager and there’s her grandmother Sylvia Walker, who raised both girls after their mom’s death in 2000.
“Besides my studies, I have family responsibilities such as cooking and cleaning. My fiancé Nick Tillack, a qualified Electrical Engineer at Tongaat Huletts, is extremely proud of me and has been behind my academic studies since day one of our relationship. We met in 2008, in my matric year, and since then we have managed to build a well-established relationship across six years that has now grown to the next level. We got engaged just last year (2013).He inspires me to work hard and never give up.His most popular used line on me is ‘a positive mind is halfthe battle won.’ Whenever I feel like I can’t take the strain, he motivates me and he listens to me whenever I need him. I love my family and I am ever so grateful to them for also supporting, loving and praying for me each and every day,” she said.
When asked about her dreams, Roxanne said her aim was to become a Project Manager because she’s passionate about improving employee relations and increasing company performance for more jobs to be created and for skills of workers to be enhanced.
“The subjects I am passionate about in HR is Industrial Relations and Strategic Management, which were two subjects that challenged me the most throughout my studies. It was something I had to keep working on persistently by researching and studying extra to understand the concepts, laws and various procedures that would enable me to fulfil my role in the best way possible,” she said.
Working hard is part and parcel of her life, but also important to her is having fun. She finds time to unwind with her fiancé by motorbike riding, swimming, deep-sea diving and mountain bike riding. After her mom passed away, she put all her energy into sport and this led her to meet Nick, who taught her the basics of riding and eventually turned her into the ‘biker chick’ that she is today.
“My dad also has a passion for sports and an interest in motor bikes. We have always been an active family and this has enabled me to relax after a long day of studying and exams,” said Walker.
Choosing to study at DUT was an easy decision and she believes it provided her with the best platform in terms of studying and work experience.“I feel DUT is an excellent institution that houses the best resources, such as excellent libraries, a safe environment, well-equipped facilities and highly qualified lecturers. Most of the lecturers give their life experiences that enable us to think out of the box and use the knowledge and examples in the working world, which I am currently doing. I have heard and read about great people who studied at DUT and are successful today, which is why I see it as a great platform for inspiring students,” she explained.
Her advice to those embarking on similar studies to hers is to set their goals for the year.“It took me years of dedication to get to where I am and now that I have disciplined myself so well. The values of dedication are instilled in me to continue to work hard in the working world. Also, always attend your lectures everyday, try to study and prepare for a test well in advance. Always study extra and sacrifice some of your free time, keep your heart and mind focused on what you want to get out of your studies, prioritise and always put God first in everything you do,” she said.
Presently, Roxanne is fortunate to be working for Thusa Group Holdings.
“I plan to gain more experience while I work and after at least two years of working, try to come back to DUT to complete my Masters in HR and hopefully specialise in Industrial Relations,” she said.
– Waheeda Peters
Pictured: Roxanne Walker, who will graduate cum laude and get the Dean’s Merit Award for Academic Excellence when she graduates on Monday next week (14 April 20
