Top achievers from the UKZN School of Law.Future Shines Bright for Law Cum Laude Graduates
The impressive achievements of Law cum laude graduates Ms Nikki De Gay, Mr Pieter Carnelley, Mr Callum Cox, Ms Tasmiya Patel, Ms Amanda Sherwin and Mr Christian Chetty were recognised at the School of Law Graduation ceremony.
All six were very proud of their success and confident that their LLB qualification was the first step towards a successful career.
For De Gaye, a part-time student, the qualification has already unlocked her potential as she is currently doing her pupilage at the KwaZulu-Natal Bar.
‘After being in the gaming industry for over 20 years, I decided to change my career and do something I am passionate about -practising law,’ said de Gaye. ‘My degree and graduating cum laude are confirmation that I can achieve anything I decide to do. I attended night classes at Howard College and met people who will remain good friends for the rest of my life. I also met a number of inspirational academics who I regard as mentors and motivators.'
‘The experience was made easier by the encouragement and guidance we as students received. Completing my degree at the age of 42, while in full-time employment made the sacrifice so special,’ she said.
De Gaye was also named the Top Part-Time student on the Howard Campus campus and was awarded the Lexis Nexis Top Part-Time prize.
For Carnelley, who is currently doing his articles at Webber Wenzel, studying towards an LLB opened up a new world for him producing experiences which helped him grow as a person.
‘This achievement really means a lot to me and I am incredibly proud of the education I got from UKZN and that I managed to pass cum laude. The entire varsity experience challenges you in some way or another. I met an incredibly diverse range of people each of whom had something different to offer and challenged me in different ways.
‘I hope to be admitted as an Attorney and then sometime after that complete my Masters degree. With a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work I’ll get there,’ Carnelley added.
Thandiwe Jumo