GEORGE NEWS - Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s annual graduation ceremonies commenced on a high note with the recent graduation of 204 students from the George Campus - 131 National Diplomas were awarded and 73 degrees conferred, including six Master’s degrees.
Overall, eighteen students attained their qualifications with distinction.

This was the first time that a Master’s degree in Science (Magister Scientiae) was conferred at the George Campus graduation. The student, Fiona Koch, completed her MSc in Botany under the supervision of Dr Jaap Steenkamp, of the School of Natural Resource Management at Saasveld, with Prof Elaine Campbell of NMMU’s Science Faculty as co-supervisor. He also supervised the work of MTech Forestry graduate, John Eggers, one of the five Magister Technologiae graduates from George Campus.

Two students - Herman Grobler and Pieter Lombard, received their MTech-degrees in Agriculture, while another two, Andri Cornelius and Carika van Zyl completed their master’s degrees (Magister Technologiae) in Nature Conservation.
Forestry Programme

The Forestry Programme accounted for about one third of all graduates, with 39 students having qualified for the National Diploma, 20 for the BTech Degree and one for the MTech degree in Forestry. No less than five diploma and one BTech graduate completed the qualification with distinction.

Cum laude diplomandi, Nonkululeko Ntinga, was also the top third-year Forestry student, and the winner of the prestigious Schlich medal in gold, signifying that she had maintained an average of at least 80% throughout all three years of her studies in Forestry.

This is the second year in a row that a student of NMMU George has scooped this prestigious medal.
Other Forestry students who completed their diplomas with distinction were - Shadrack Mamathuntsha, Lindeni Nkosi, Robert Tumber and Mnqobi Zuma.

Nature Conservation Programme
The Nature Conservation diploma programme rendered 23 new diplomandi, with no less than six completing their qualification with distinction - Aleksander Braczkowski, Damien Coulson, Sadé Cowley, Alexander Lyell, Willem Matthee and Francois van Tonder.

Twelve students successfully completed their BTech degrees in Nature Conservation, one - Michelle Whyte - with distinction.
Other cum laude diplomandi and graduandi

Wilfred Cawood and former Student Council Member, Natascha Laing, obtained the National Diploma in Marketing with distinction, while Jenette Jurgens completed the BTech Marketing degree with distinction.
Magdaleen Olivier received the National Diploma: Management with distinction.

The BTech: Agricultural Management programme also rendered a cum laude graduate - Stefan Terblanche.


A proud Dr Jaap Steenkamp, with students Fiona Koch and John Eggers, who both completed their masters degrees at NMMU George under his supervision.