Living and Learning recognises excellence at this year’s award ceremony

Top Achievers: VUT Residence students who excelled academically this year received certificates of recognition and appreciation.

Azande Ralephenya

It’s that time of year again when the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) recognises and honours its top students within their respected fields of study. On 31 October, Residence Living and Learning management and staff hosted their annual Residence Academic Awards at Riviera Bon Hotel.

Residence Life Officer, Pakiso Tjotjo said the awards are meant to encourage students to further excel in their studies by recognising and awarding the top achievers in each faculty. “We’d like to show appreciation of the great efforts put in by our students residing at the University Residences. With assistance from the IT Department, through the authority of the Exam Department, we managed to pick the top five students per faculty who are excelling academically,” he said.

While all 20 top students were awarded certificates and a token gift, the Residence Department has committed to giving the top two winners laptops and the top four, tablets.

The Residence Living and Learning department also gave certificates of appreciation to the Green Campus Initiative (GCI) Team for their great efforts in ensuring that the campus is clean and green through their various projects. The vision of the GCI is to shift VUT towards a carbon neutral, environmentally conscious institution through the volunteer efforts of staff and students. It also aims to become a vehicle to create, support and implement green projects driven by the university community that will reduce VUT’s carbon footprint and increase its use of sustainable practices.

Mr Martin Sibanda, who was the guest speaker, left the students gaping in awe after sharing his life story; that of an ex offender who spent years in prison overcoming personal battles. He is now a life coach, motivational speaker and successful businessman with a communications company.

In closing, the Head of Department for Student Accommodation and Residence, Mr Jerry Molutsi gave the overview and background of this initiative. He further expressed his belief in the importance of academic excellence, especially at institutions of higher learning. He committed to sharing a proposal with the Executive Management Committee (EMC) to ensuring that they make the residences a conducive living and learning environment through the provision of necessary items such as Wi-Fi and study areas as well as a budget to fund academic programmes (extra lessons) at the residences.

Team Work: The Living and Learning staff who dedicate their time and love to their VUT Res students