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IT and FIS Students Honored For Their Excellence

IT and FIS Students Honored For Their Excellence

The Department of Information Technology at the Durban University of Technology honored top performing students in the programmes of Information Technology and Financial Information Systems at their annual awards ceremony on Wednesday 16 October 2014.

Held at DUT’s Mansfield Hall, Ritson Campus, the awards were divided into 10 categories consisting of Achievement of Excellence, Merit, Special Achievement, Achievement, Best Software Project, Runner-Up Software Project, Best BTech Project, Diplomate of the Year, Graduate of the Year and Best Research Dissertation.

Malese Brenda Ndhlovu, a SAP PhD Associate who was awarded the Best Research Dissertation for Master of Technology in IT in April this year, was the guest speaker.

She told students to never give up and always aim to complete what they had started. Ndhlovu, who said her journey was fun, challenging and filled with distractions, urged students and awardees to always stretch their capabilities.

“My journey as an undergraduate at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) was an exciting one, however, as I went on studying challenges started arising. However, having good supervisors, especially when I was studying towards my Master’s, has helped me a lot in not giving up and pushing myself even if the going was tough. You should never allow circumstances and challenges to cloud your vision, aim for success in whatever you do and don’t procrastinate. The longer you take to study, the more difficult it becomes,” said Ndhlovu.

Parents ululated and whistled as their children were called to the podium to receive their awards. Ululating the most were parents of Nolwazi Ntshingila, who won the Financial Information Systems Diplomate of the Year award, having achieved 22 distinctions and an average of 78 percent over her three years of study. The IT Diplomate of the Year award went to Shaygen Arumugam who received 21 distinctions and an average of 87 percent over his three years of study. Both students received iPads from Adapt IT, as well as trophies, book vouchers, USBs, vouchers and hampers from other sponsors.

“The journey was not an easy one, however it has been worth it at the end. I will further my studies in 2015 and I still aim to be the top achiever in my department,” said Ntshingila.

Arumugam, who was accompanied by his wife, said he was honored “to have so much support” and was looking forward to studying again in 2015. “I am humbled to be receiving these awards. I just hope that the same will happen next year, this is just the beginning,” he said.

In total, the ceremony saw 34 students being awarded with various prizes sponsored by Adapt IT, Dimension Data, Transglobal, PPS, Adams Booksellers, Albaraka Bank, Unilever, SAP University Alliance, Glenwood Dental and Medical Centre, Microsoft and SQS.

-Noxolo Memela

Pictured: Shaygen Arumugam (IT Diplomate of the Year), Nolwazi Ntshingia (FIS Diplomate of the Year), Malese Brenda Ndhlovu (IT Best Research Dissertation) and Yuresha Harrilala (IT Graduate of the Year), at the awards ceremony.

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