A holiday visit to a high-end visual effects company in New York led to a dream job offer in Chicago for Port Elizabeth graphic designer, Udesh Chetty. While on holiday in New York City a couple of years ago, Chetty visited his then future company's office in downtown Manhattan where he met some heads of department and discussed work opportunities. A few months later, he received a phone call from their office in Chicago, offering him a job. Chetty is now the visual effects supervisor at … [Read more...] about PE’s Udesh Chety makes it big in Chicago
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Madibaz cricketers seeking tournament win
The Mecer NMMU-Madibaz cricketers are aiming to turn a few near misses into a return to the winners’ podium at the Momentum national club championship in Pretoria from tomorrow. The Eastern Province champions have a proud record in the tournament, which they won for the first time in 1992. Since the merger in 2005, they have emerged victorious in the 2009 and 2011 editions, while finishing runners-up on two occasions. They will be attending the event for the eighth consecutive … [Read more...] about Madibaz cricketers seeking tournament win
Contracting TB led to landmark NMMU master’s degree
Lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life, Ingrid Oxley would never have believed that Tuberculosis would change her life for the good – and contribute to her becoming NMMU’s first ever Master’s in Dietetics graduate. In 2011 while working as a dietician at a public hospital in Port Elizabeth, 30-year-old Ingrid contracted Tuberculosis (TB). After completing the treatment, she was cured of TB. However, she was hospitalised the very next year displaying TB symptoms again, this time more … [Read more...] about Contracting TB led to landmark NMMU master’s degree
Sister Anne tackles electoral violence for NMMU PhD
WHEN post-electoral violence in Kenya in the late 2000s turned tribal, a nun found herself being victimised – and had to be hidden by the other nuns. The experience inspired her to tackle post-electoral violence through academic studies – in the hopes that Kenya and other African countries would embrace a model for mediation that would allow for free and fair democratic elections. Sister Anne Celestine Achieng Oyier Ondigo, a Franciscan Sister of St Joseph (based at Asumbi, Kenya), … [Read more...] about Sister Anne tackles electoral violence for NMMU PhD
‘Vive la France!’ at NMMU
FINE food and art, research and innovation, will be showcased at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University on April 20, in celebration of the University's first "French Day". French Ambassador to South Africa, Her Excellency Elisabeth Barbier, accompanied by a delegation from France, will be on campus to officially open French Day, and participate in the various events. The first of these is "French Food and Culture" at the on-campus Rendezvous Café, followed by an afternoon of research … [Read more...] about ‘Vive la France!’ at NMMU
Free Innovative Thinking workshop
One of the biggest innovative thinking issues that face small businesses is that "entrepreneurs are solution-driven but many small businesses do not have sufficient capacity to devise innovative solutions for their customers," says Mary-Ann Chetty, senior innovation manager at the Innovation Office of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). She will be presenting a free one day Innovative Thinking workshop for small business leaders at the Propella Futuremakers Hub on Wednesday, … [Read more...] about Free Innovative Thinking workshop
Xolisa Yekani is the first completely blind student to graduate from NMMU
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's first completely blind graduate Xolisa Yekani, 37, is hoping other blind students will be inspired to follow his example. "I am proud to be NMMU's first blind graduate, I advocate for other blind people because I want to bring about change," said Yekani, who graduated with his BA honours in Journalism, "Thank you, NMMU, for opening your doors to us and catering for us totally blind students." Sadly, Yekani was not always blind but lost his sight … [Read more...] about Xolisa Yekani is the first completely blind student to graduate from NMMU
Dyslexia no hurdle for Duncan Monks
"You can't use your disability as an excuse." That's what Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University graduate Duncan Monks's mother told him when she was fighting to keep him in a mainstream high school – and they are words he continues to live by. "Wherever you are in life, you have to prove yourself. If you don't find a way to make it happen, it never will. You've got to take that first step." This week, the 26-year-old ambassador for disability graduates with his BCom degree in Business … [Read more...] about Dyslexia no hurdle for Duncan Monks
Success against the odds for Heinrich Williams
When Heinrich Williams crosses the stage to graduate this morning, his companion and study buddy Viking, donned in full graduation attire, will as usual be right by his side. Viking, the four-year old Golden Retriever mix, attended all Heinrich's lectures and exams as a service dog, assisting Heinrich in achieving his NDip Industrial Engineering. "He deserves to graduate with me, he was present in all my classes," said Heinrich, 45. Both Heinrich and Viking's graduation attire were … [Read more...] about Success against the odds for Heinrich Williams
NMMU PhD graduate attributes success to mother’s sacrifices
Nigerian-born Kayode Ayankoya, 41, who is graduating with his PhD in Computer Science from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, values the sacrifices his mother made for him to be educated. Bolaji Ayankoya was denied the opportunity to have education beyond primary school, not because she was not bright enough but because she was female – her twin brother was able to study further. As a result, she insisted that Ayankoya and his five sisters be educated. "I will never forget the day my … [Read more...] about NMMU PhD graduate attributes success to mother’s sacrifices
Pioneering NMMU/CIMA short courses to benefit SA business
As aspiring business leaders climb the corporate ladder in today's globalised, rapidly-changing world, the skill sets they require stretch far beyond traditional number crunching, to being able to think strategically and make sustainable, future-orientated decisions. That is why Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's School of Accounting and the University's Business School have paired up to offer South African individuals and companies something unique: a sure-fire way to help themselves … [Read more...] about Pioneering NMMU/CIMA short courses to benefit SA business
tSparx ignites creative minds
Students and entrepreneurs from across the Eastern Cape had the opportunity to develop their business ideas through tSparx, a technology entrepreneurship training course that is funded by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and was hosted by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), Rhodes University and Propella Business Incubator this past week. The course provided participants with the tools to develop a business case and inspired their entrepreneurial journey through lectures, … [Read more...] about tSparx ignites creative minds
Lego League returns to Nelson Mandela Bay
Learners in Nelson Mandela Bay will again be exposed to the excitement and benefits of science and technology when Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's School of ICT hosts a regional qualifying tournament for the First Lego League (FLL) challenge. This year's "Animal Allies" challenge theme for learners aged nine to 16 starts off with an information session at the University on April 16, followed by training workshops before the tournament starts in August. Children in teams of between … [Read more...] about Lego League returns to Nelson Mandela Bay
Coming from America
NMMU Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Engagement Prof Andrew Leitch will officially open a new centre for learning called the American Corner, Port Elizabeth on the Bird Street Campus of NMMU. The new corner will bring the best of the United States to the Eastern Cape. The US Embassy funded the new centre to inspire youth and to give them access to astronauts, artists, scientists and the best innovators from Silicon Valley. Leitch will be joined by Teddy B. Taylor, the US Consul … [Read more...] about Coming from America
Celebrate as thousands of students graduate
Close to 5 000 students across six faculties and in as many as 335 different qualifications will graduate from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in 15 ceremonies hosted in George and Nelson Mandela Bay from Thursday 7 April. More than 60 students will obtain doctoral degrees and a further 330 their master's degree in the first of NMMU's two annual graduation sessions. A further three graduation sessions will be hosted in December this year. This year's ceremonies will begin in … [Read more...] about Celebrate as thousands of students graduate
