Uncontained excitement filled the Feather Market Hall on Thursday, 14 April as The Varsity College Port Elizabeth class of 2015 graduates were honoured and celebrated by staff, lecturers and friends at their graduation ceremony. Special guest, Nola Payne, Head of Faculty for Information Communications Technology from The Independent Institute of Education (IIE) took to the stage to cap all the eager graduates.
As part of the graduation ceremony, the top graduates with the highest overall average in each of The IIE qualifications were awared The Top Achiever Award in recognition of all academic achievements. Recipients of this amazing award were only announced during the graduation ceremony with Candice Olivier (a Varsity College bursary student) being the Top Achiever for her class graduating with an amazing overall average of 87% and 25 distinctions. Top Achievers from the other courses included: Khanyisile Tiki (The IIE Higher Certificate in Information Technology in Support Services), Reniel Wesley (The IIE Higher Certificate in Business Principles and Practices), Nicole Assumption (The IIE Higher Certificate in Events Management), Gaynor Jordon (The IIE Diploma in Business Management and Entrepreneurship), Jade Blignaut (The IIE Diploma in Public Relations), Alveno Douglas (The IIE Diploma in Commerce in Marketing Management), Waldo Kapp (The IIE Diploma in Sports Development and Management), Marc Burgess (The IIE Diploma in Information Technology in Software Development), Funega Soga (The IIE Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications) and Andisa Tyala (The IIE Bachelor of Commerce).
Top Achiever, Candice Olivier was the recipient of the bursary Victoria Park High School won at the annual Varsity College Schools Quiz hosted by the Port Elizabeth campus in 2012. Another graduate, Luyolo Nqakula, The IIE Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications graduate was part of the winning team at the Schools Quiz hosted in 2011 as well. When asked how they went about receiving the bursary, Candice said: “Students were given th eopportunity of a lifetime to apply for the bursary by writing an essay why we deserved to receive the bursary and how it would change our lives. They announced the winner at the 2012 valedictory where I was awarded this incredible life-changing bursary.” Luyolo also shared his experience: During my first year at Varsity College, I had an opportunity to apply for the Varsity College bursary which the school won during the School Quiz in 2011. My then principal, Mr Hopley, informed me that I was selected because of my overall performance.
The Varsity College annual Schools Quiz is hosted and sponsored by all eight Varsity College campuses for high schools based in their communities. Algoa FM is Varsity College Port Elizabeth’s School Quiz partner. As part of the prizes in 2011 and 2012, the winning schools were each given a bursary to the value of R80 000 to award to a deserving Grade 12 pupil of their choice. These bursaries are usually awarded by the school based on academic merit and financial need.
“This bursary has given me so many opportunities that I thought I would never have. Financially I wouldn’t have been able to study but thanks to this blessing I was able to study what I have always wanted, which was a three year Diploma in Travel and Tourism Management. I am thankful to Varsity College and Victoria Park High School for this opportunity. They have allowed for my dreams to come true and have opened so many doors for me.” says Candice. Since having completed her final exams in November 2015, Candice has been employed at Rennies Travel as a Financial Refunds Clerk.
Varsity College is very proud of all their graduates and wishes them every success as they start the next chapter of their lives.
Author: A’neil Philander
Port Elizabethan
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