The Department of Food and Nutrition Consumer Sciences celebrated its annual Student Awards in style at an event held at DUT recently.

Held at the DUT City Campus, the awards recognise the students’ achievements throughout the year in the Department, said Head of Department, Susan Vermeer.

Guests included staff within the Faculty of Applied Sciences, the Department’s advisory board members, industry representatives, staff and students. The awards were for first-year students up to BTech level. The awards included Clarice Kind Awards, Departmental Awards, Galeforce Marketing Award, Jean Brydone Memorial Awards, Speak Easy Toastmaster International Award, Dean’s Award as well as industry sponsored awards by Unilever, Spar and Advance Seed.

“I am ecstatic about these awards,” said Robyn Mapstone, Food and Nutrition first-year student who walked away with eight awards. “It is a great honour. Hard work pays,” said the 22 year old student. She added that she would advise anyone who wants to study at DUT to enrol in Food and Nutrition studies “because you get value for your money”.

Zama Ntuli, a former member of staff and student in the Department was the guest speaker at the event. She urged students to keep up the good work and study hard. “When I was a student at DUT in the same Department, I had a vision and light. That light remained with me always, even when I went to study abroad. Keep your vision and light on,” Ntuli told students.

The event was concluded with a tasteful, light lunch prepared by the second-year Food and Nutrition Consumer Sciences students.

Pictured: Professor Carin Napier, Associate Professor in the Food and Nutrition Consumer Sciences Department, with Kelly Warriner who was named Best Overall Third Year Student at the awards event.