Two Scholarships were awarded to Applied Chemistry student, Ms Kimberleigh Bianca Govender.Two Scholarships for Applied Chemistry student
Ms Kimberleigh Bianca Govender of the School of Chemistry and Physics is the recipient of the Zac Yacoob Scholarship and the Maryam Babangida Scholarship which are awarded to students in postgraduate studies for outstanding performance and being top ranked in the College or the entire University.
The Zac Yacoob scholarship was named after Judge Zakeria (ZAC) Yacoob, a former Constitutional Court judge and the last Chancellor of the former University of Durban-Westville.
Govender won the award on the basis of her being the best Honours-level (4th year) student at UKZN.
The Maryam Babangida scholarship is from an anonymous Nigerian donor honouring Dr Maryam Babangida, who contributed to the improvement of living conditions of Nigerian women.
The Scholarship is awarded each year to the best female student, in the entire University, proceeding from undergraduate to honours study.
Govender has won the Dean’s Commendation award for the past three years and graduated summa cum laude. She attained 21 certificates of merit and 23 distinctions during her studies which are now concentrated on an honours degree in Applied Chemistry.
‘I see the scholarships as motivation to complete my honours degree as I strive to ensure that I live up to the expectations that go with winning the awards which I believe are acknowledgement of the hard work, dedication and time I have invested in my undergraduate degree.’
Academic Learner, Teaching and Learning, Dr Naven Chetty, said: ‘Ms Govender is an outstanding candidate whose results are very impressive. Her 2014 results ranked her as the top student in chemistry and applied chemistry. She received three awards at the annual college awards ceremony for her academic achievements including the prestigious Lucas Trophy for being the outstanding overall Chemistry student in 2014. Her results are most impressive and rank her in the top 5% of her peers.’
Lecturer in the School of Chemistry and Physics, Dr Brenda Moodley, said: ‘Ms Kimberleigh Govender has been one of our star students in the School of Chemistry and Physics. She has performed excellently throughout her undergraduate study and her marks and awards are a testament to her hard work and dedication. She is a great example to other students showing them that hard work does pay off. The School of Chemistry and Physics is proud of her achievements and we congratulate her on her awards.’
Govender added: ‘After completion of this degree I hope to further my studies in the field of Forensic Science.’
Her heartfelt message to the donors was: ‘I want to convey my greatest appreciation to you for having selected me for this award as I know how competitive the world of academia is.’
Leena Rajpal