Top Students Honoured

BY: .

UKZN’s College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science recognised its top achieving students at two awards ceremonies.

About 400 staff, students, parents and industry sponsors attended the Westville and Pietermaritzburg campus celebrations to witness students receive recognition for their hard work and achievement.

The School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences was proud to acknowledge the successes of 37 of its top performers.

Kwanalu, Pannar, Golder Associates, the Citrus Growers’ Association, Lima, Jeffares and Green, Campbell Scientific and Standard Bank were among sponsors whose representatives presented the awards.

Top students from the Schools of Chemistry and Physics; Life Sciences; and Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science were also recognised, receiving generous awards from a total of 40 industrial and institutional sponsors.

Several new awards, such as the Kerry Awards for the top second year student in chemistry on each campus, were on offer providing opportunities for students who previously may not have been individually recognised.

The AA Rayner book prizes, for the top students in second year statistics on the Pietermaritzburg campus - Mr Sibusiso Zulu and Mr Mhlengi Mgaga - were once again presented by Dr Nancy Rayner and her daughter, Mrs Marion Aitken.  The Rayner family has supported the College Awards for many years and presents the two prizes annually in memory of the late Professor Arthur Rayner, who took up the post of professor of Biometry at the former University of Natal in 1949.   

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for the College, Professor Deo Jaganyi, said: ‘These students are the pool from which we draw our future PhD candidates.  We thank their lecturers and parents for the support that they give them, we celebrate their success, and we encourage them to continue with their studies.’

Sally Frost