Girl Power Abounds in Bachelor of Commerce Summa Cum Laude Graduates

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For Bachelor of Commerce summa cum laude graduates, Ms Iman Moosa and Ms Jyoti Maharaj, finishing top of their class is validation that hard work and dedication are the perfect recipe for success.

For Moosa being a daughter of an Occupational Therapist mother and a Specialist Radiologist father, and graduating at the same time as her brother, Khalid, who has completed his medicine degree cum laude, made a career in medicine the obvious choice.

However, she decided to carve her own path, a decision that has paid off.

‘It has been a double celebration for my family since we received the news. Everyone was very proud when I told them my results, although they liked to tease me and say they never expected anything less of me,’ said Moosa.

Coming to the end of a challenging undergraduate degree might mean straight to the working world for most graduates but for Moosa it is her first step towards a Chartered Accountancy qualification.

‘I am currently studying towards my postgraduate diploma in Accounting, which will enable me to write the first South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) board exam in January next year,’ said Moosa.

‘I am already signed with Deloitte, where I will complete three years of articles. Once I pass the second board exam, which is written during articles, I will be a Chartered Accountant. So although I have completed my degree, there is still a long way to go towards achieving my qualification, but with hard work and dedication, I will get there,’ she said.

Maharaj’s graduation journey has been paved with various academic excellence achievements. At the 2013 Scholarship Awards ceremony, she was awarded the Pius Langa Scholarship for being the top performing new undergraduate entrant at UKZN. Then last year, not only did she receive the College Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship, but was named the Top Overall second year student at the UKZN-SAICA Awards Ceremony.

For her, sticking with the family career choice of accounting has proved to be the right one as she has excelled throughout her undergraduate studies.

‘Graduating summa cum laude would not have been possible without my wonderful, supportive family and friends,’ she said.

 Looking to the future, Maharaj plans to pursue a career in Chartered Accountancy starting next year with serving her three years of articles at Deloitte.

-          Thandiwe Jumo