Stellenbosch University (SU) recently hosted in-person graduations for all graduates for the first time since December 2019. This is according to Martin Viljoen, spokesperson for SU.
SU awarded 3 132 qualifications at a series of in-person graduation ceremonies at the Coetzenburg Centre in Stellenbosch between 4 and 7 April, Viljoen told MatieMedia via written correspondence.
Stellenbosch University (SU) student Lyndon Matavie started his university career in 2017 and graduated in-person this year with a BDiv degree from SU’s theology department. He is currently in the process of working towards obtaining his master’s degree in divinity at the end of 2022. PHOTO: Supplied/Lyndon Matavie
The Covid-19 restrictions on gatherings limited the past two years’ in-person graduation ceremonies to only doctoral candidates, according to a press release on the SU website. These ceremonies were hosted in a smaller venue, Endler Hall, on the SU campus.
“We further have the added benefit that more citizens are vaccinated which poses a much lower risk than before,” stated Viljoen. In the past, the directives of the department of higher education and training limited the university’s ability to hold in-person ceremonies, according to Viljoen. However, these directives were only applicable for 2021, he explained.
This year’s graduation ceremonies at Stellenbosch University (SU) saw the faculties of agrisciences, arts and social sciences, medicine and health sciences, and military science awarded the highest number of master’s qualifications, according to a press release on SU’s website. Supplied: Kayla Arends
Excitement and achievement
“The students, their family and friends are very excited to be able to get a chance to [attend] a normal graduation ceremony,” said Ruan van der Merwe, assistant manager at Dippenaar & Reinecke, a supplier of graduation attire.
“Celebrating with my classmates and faculty peers has been such a distant thought because of past and current circumstances, but when I received the email of in-person graduation my heart felt full,” said Kayla Arends, who graduated at SU with a BCom in management sciences.
Kayla Arends recently graduated from Stellenbosch University (SU) and is currently pursuing an honours degree in transport economics at SU. PHOTO: Tamara Wicomb
Lyndon Matavie, a BDiv graduate from SU, said that he is really excited to have graduated on 4 April. “I take pride in knowing that when I was in school, people told me that I would never achieve anything in life. But this paper shows not only me, but also those around me that you can turn negative energy into positive energy and that you can do it.”