Summa Cum Laude Achievers Celebrate Outstanding Achievements

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Four Bachelor of Commerce degree graduates are celebrating their summa cum laude degree successes!

They are Ms Orisha Kanaye and Ms Tamanna Nundkoomar (Bachelor of Commerce Honours degrees in Information Systems and Technology) and Ms Shezay Govender and Ms Nokuphiwa Ngema (general BCom degrees).

Kanaye, having already kick-started her career as a Business Consultant at BSG - a prominent South African consultancy specialising in business and innovative technology solutions - had a clear vision of her undergraduate majors.

‘I realised I had a passion for technology and saw all the opportunities it presented.’

Supported by her family, Kanaye plans to further her studies and complete her master’s degree, aiming to carve a niche for herself in the corporate world.

‘I am fortunate enough to have landed a position in an amazing company that offers me a lot of opportunity to grow and succeed. So, having a solid academic background will definitely help me moving forward and aspiring for more,’ she said.

Nankoomar discovered her passion for the technology industry during an introductory programming module in her second year.

‘I thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself looking forward to learning new concepts. The more time I spent learning the more I developed an interest in the technology industry,’ she said.

This led her to pursue an honours degree, a challenging yet rewarding experience that demanded dedication and hard work. Completing the degree provided Nankoomar with practical knowledge of everyday technology, reinforcing her belief in the advantages of holding a qualification in the technology field.

‘Seeing the outcome of all the work I put in was one of the most satisfying things about this degree. It has given me a lot of practical knowledge about the technology we use every single day. I think having a degree in the technology field is a great advantage right now,’ she said.

Looking ahead, she plans to pursue her master’s degree or MBA to further excel in her career and establish herself as a woman in tech.

Raised in the small township of Mondlo in Zululand, Ngema decided to merge Economics with Information Systems and Technology. 

‘This qualification was definitely not an easy one for me - it took a lot of hard work, late nights and sacrifices, but knowing how and what to prioritise in my life helped me get through.’

Her passion for economics, technology, and innovation motivated her as well as her lecturers in first year. ‘They taught the content so well that I fell in love with it,’ said Ngema.

She gave her mother credit for her success. She said, ‘I wouldn’t be here today had it not been for her and the moments she believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself.’

Currently pursuing her Honours degree in Economics, she hopes to use her incorporated skills in a space where technology and economics are accepted as the key drivers of economic growth.

She also plans to give back to the youth of her community. ‘I aim to be in a position where I can provide computers to children from disadvantaged backgrounds and teach and introduce them to technology in order to better equip them for this constantly growing automated world. I believe it is an essential skill missing in most rural schools.’

Growing up with a keen interest in economics and finance at high school, for Govender choosing her majors was a “no brainer”. 

‘Having this degree is worthwhile as it will enable me to learn skills that will prepare me for the duties of a job in the real world,’ she said

Govender, now pursuing her Honours degree in Finance, said her study journey had been filled with joy and tears.

She lost her mother in her second year. ‘My mom was so proud when I got accepted to study at UKZN and was looking forward to the day I graduated. I used this as motivation whenever I was feeling stressed and overwhelmed with the workload. However, it was definitely a rewarding experience,’ she said.

Ngema and Govender are both members of the Golden Key International Honour Society which identifies 15% of the top achievers in a discipline.

Words: Samukelisiwe Cele

Photographs: Rajesh Jantilal