The Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Department of Food and Nutrition Consumer Sciences honoured the top performing students during its annual Awards Ceremony held on 31 October 2018 at the Rendezvous Restaurant on the Steve Biko Campus.
The awards ceremony was attended by staff and students from the department and the Faculty of Applied Sciences. It was also graced by the presence of industry partners and other external stakeholders.
The Head of Department: Food and Nutrition Consumer Sciences, Professor Carin Napier said the awards are a token of appreciation from the department to top performing students for their hard work and dedication. “Today we are recognising your hard work and excellence. We are proud of your achievements, and this is our way of expressing our appreciation for your efforts,” she said.
Speaking during the awards ceremony, the Executive Dean: Faculty of Applied Sciences, Professor Suren Singh echoed the same sentiments. “It is important for us to recognise students who succeed,” he said.
Prof Singh urged students to push beyond boundaries and look beyond their current qualifications because the world offers limitless opportunities for those who work smart and diligently.
“First you need to find your inspiration, this should be your energy source which illuminates your drive. You need to be motivated, but you also need to be smart. Make a plan, if you don’t have one, you need to have one today. You also need to know your goals and focus on those goals. But you also need to take a break from your studies sometimes and explore other avenues. Most importantly you need to eat healthy and stay healthy. Lastly, travel and learn about the rest of the world, internationalise,” added Prof Singh.
Prof Singh applauded the Department of Food and Nutrition Consumer Sciences for continuously collaborating with industry partners, and also expressed appreciation to industry partners for their continued support for the department.
One of the top performing students was the 3rd-year student, Shivneta Singh who clinched four awards, and she averaged 86 % for her academic marks. Some of the awards that she won include; the Dean’s Academic Excellence Award: Best First Semester Student, Best Academic: Nutrition 3 Student, Best 3rd– year Academic Student and Best Academic: Food Communication 3 Student.
Some of the prizes that were received by students include cash vouchers, books vouchers, food hampers and DUT branded gifts.
Some of the industry partners who contributed towards the awards prizes include; Deli Spices, Fedics, Galeforce Marketing, Umhlanga Toastmasters, Unilever and WL Cole.
Pictured: Shanice Nair, Professor Carin Napier and Shivneta Singh.
Nduduzo Ndlovu
