Graduand Preline Pravania Reddy (24) from Queensburgh in Durban, has successfully completed her Advanced Diploma in Information and Communications Technology, obtaining Cum Laude in the field that she had loved since High School. She will be graduating at the DUT’s Virtual Autumn Graduation on Friday, 13 May 2022.
“I am extremely delighted and proud to have made such a great achievement. It has always been my life’s purpose to perform to the best of my ability, and this acknowledgement now shows exactly how much I can accomplish if I set my mind to it,” said a euphoric Reddy.
When her family heard the news, her mum cried tears of joy. She knew how much of time and effort she had put into her work, and she was ecstatic to see that it all paid off.
“It makes me happy knowing I have accomplished something that my loved ones can be proud of, especially those who have stood by my side every step of the way,” she said.
She was never much of a people’s person, and had difficulty speaking to people and making friends, but with technology and coding, it felt natural, like she had found the place where she could be herself
“The year was a rather rough one for me as I struggled a lot with finances. I had applied for multiple sources of funding but unfortunately to no avail. This made me decide to deregister as I could not afford it, but I did not do so, I would not have been where I am today. After careful consideration, I decided to continue with my studies, but this was already a few months into the semester which means I had missed multiple lectures and a few tasks, but this did not stop me from accomplishing my goal. I worked hard and gave all my attention to my studies, and I am so glad that I decided to do so,” she remarked.
Reddy is thrilled about the mere thought of having a physical graduation, seeing that she had missed her very first opportunity at one in 2019.
“COVID-19 is a part of our everyday lives now; we just have to take the necessary precautions to ensure our own safety and the safety of those around us. However, I know for sure, I am not willing to miss out on another graduation, especially with such a high honour,” she expressed.
As a student who had faced adversity, her advice to first-year students is to always push through.
“The world can rob you of many things, but no-one can take away your knowledge, so walk, run, or jog, no matter how you decide to do it, get there and do it for yourself,” she added.
Reddy’s plans are to continue studying further with the aim of becoming a well-acknowledged database developer.
“I would also like to be proficient in testing, basically, a jack-of-all-trades,” she quipped.
Pictured: Preline Pravania Reddy
Waheeda Peters
