WATCH: Excellence takes centre stage at UKZN’s Autumn Graduation
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) conferred degrees on thousands of students who received their hard-earned qualifications during the 2023 Autumn Graduation ceremonies that took place in May.
The university awarded 9 363 graduands with their respective qualifications. Of this total, 65% were women; consisting of 6 564 graduates, 2 799 postgraduates, as well as 626 Master’s and 276 Doctoral graduands. The university also celebrated the achievements of 101 graduands with disabilities.
Top academic achievements included 158 summa cum laude and 444 cum laude graduands who completed their studies with distinction.
Three UKZN graduates excel with cum laude distinctions
Graduating from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) with Bachelor of Commerce Honours degrees cum laude, Mohini Kisten, Yashodha Maharaj and Lungelo Thabethe are proof that dedication, consistent effort and working smart produces excellence.
As payroll co-ordinator for Huntswood Recruitment, Kisten is looking forward to using her newly acquired knowledge to enhance her career.
“I am currently exploring the payroll function of the human resource management environment and absolutely love having the ability to put into practice what I have been studying for the past four years, watching everything come to life,” said Kisten.
The go-getter passed her undergraduate Bachelor of Commerce degree with a Dean's Commendation and an average of 75% in 2020, after being hospitalised and placed on strict bed rest for six months due to a pulmonary embolism. She says that hard work and perseverance are her recipes for success.
“Many people advised me to de-register from the university as I would never be able to complete the semester in time. I refused to listen to them, even though my physical weakness wore me down. This memorable milestone helped change my view on life and the true meaning of dedication. It changed my life for the better as it proved that hard work and perseverance does pay off, especially if you put your mind and heart into it,” she added.
In addition to her professional career, Kisten is also an entrepreneur whose passion for dogs and baking led to her owning a dog-friendly bakery.
For Maharaj, this qualification is already paying off as it has led to employment. “I was offered an HR graduate internship with the Shoprite Group of Companies, which will conclude at the end of this year. I am only three months in, but have already learnt so much from them and met many wonderful people. In the future, I hope to become a well-rounded, exceptional HR manager at an organisation and create value for the company I work at. I feel that this degree will set me on this path,” she said.
For Thabethe, choosing a career in HR instead of accounting is proving to be the right choice. “Before entering university, my initial plan was to pursue an accounting degree. However, I saw myself gravitating towards the management and human aspect of commercial studies. HR is worthwhile because it is a broad field and gives upcoming human resource practitioners many opportunities and functions to master and choose from,” he said.
Building on his research interests in training, development and employee wellness, Thabethe is looking forward to exploring HR further.
“I enjoy learning about workforce diversity, as it challenges me to think outside the box. Hence, my research assignment, titled ‘The Impact of Workforce Diversification on Organisational Performance’ focused on a leading SA pharmaceutical company.
“This qualification will allow me to identify the “unspoken” employee factors that negatively impact SA’s health sector growth and success. And in response, develop appropriate employee wellness programmes and skills development initiatives to give workers a platform to talk about their personal issues, while keeping abreast of the essential workplace skills.”