The Department of Student Housing and Residence Life at Durban University of Technology hosted their annual awards recently. The event was aimed at encouraging students who reside at student residences to excel on their studies.

The awards feature a variety of categories including Academic, Central Housing Council, Leadership Award, African Green Campus Initiative, Sports and Resident Advisor. A large focus for the awards is leadership and best performing residence in terms of academic excellence and social activities – with Sport being the main award, with the best team receiving a floating trophy, jerseys and soccer balls.

It is the Department of Student Housing’s responsibility to make sure that students are comfortable in residence.

Residence President Sipho Mkhize said there are certain procedures that are followed to determine who gets the award. For the sports award, there are tournaments through out the year and the team that gets first place in the league wins the award. Academically, residence life has access to student results and they pick the best performer fro each residence. Other categories are monitored by student housing based on social activities, cleanliness and commitment of the leadership.

Student Housing Director Doc Nhassengo said it is student housing’s wish to make residence life as homely and comfortable for students as they would have been at home. “We want students in residence to be productive, so that they can give back to their communities, to not only be skilled academically but be productive socially as well,” said Nhassengo.

Appreciation awards were given to housing committees, Residence Advisors and Central Housing Council based on their performance and dedication.

Pictured: Department of Student Housing staff members and students who received awards.

–Nomvula Sikakane