A Month's Worth of Reason to be Proud
At NMMU, we are very fortunate to have a wide variety of achievers that hold the NMMU flag up high. Here is a recap of what some of our students and lecturers have been doing to make us proud this past month.
Murray Bales-Smith, NMMU student, championed in the University Sport South Africa (USSA) 5km Indoor Rowing Trials. His time of 17 minutes and 46.7 seconds made him the fastest Lightweight University Rower in the country.
The Black Lawyers Association Student Chapter was able to successfully host 19 branches containing an estimated 100 delegates from universities across South Africa at the annual general meeting.
Pedro Mzileni, third year BA Sociology student and Primarius of Xanadu residence, was the only South African student chosen by the People’s Government of China to take part in their “Jinhua Homestay Project”, aimed at creating tourism opportunities in rural China areas.
Arnu Oelofse, third year BMus student scored first place in the Undergraduate Category of the Bursary Competition hosted by SAKOV (Suid Afrikaanse Kerk Orrel Vereeniging) which promotes protestant church music.
Zilondiwe Goge, third year BA Psychology student and 2014 BtC graduate as well as the NMMU Psychology Society Chairperson and Veritas Residence Secretary, was elected as Vice Chairperson of the PsySSA (the Psychological Society of South Africa) student division for next year (2016).
Ignatius Malgraff, Madibaz Hockey Player has been selected for the SA Men’s Squad.
Luyolo Mngonyama, third year Psychology and Sociology student, as well as Mikaela Oosthuizen, second year Media, Communications and Culture student, have both made it into the semi-finals of the Miss SA Pagaent. Luyolo holds the title of Miss Mamelodi Sundowns 2015 while Mikaela holds the 2010 title of Miss SA Teen, making her the youngest title holder and first from Port Elizabeth.
NMMU Microbrewery Team of 2015 took part in the SAB Inter-varsity Brewing Competition. ‘The Nelson’ placed second in the Carling Black Label Award and ‘Red Mistress’ placed third in the Castle Milk Stout Winter Warmer category. ‘The Nelson’ also scored second in the overall best brew in the competition.
Amanda Anthony, Music graduate, made it to the top 10 of Idols SA.
Our staff also continues to make us proud; Agricultural and Game Management Professor, Pieter van Niekerk, was elected as the president of CHASA (Confederation of Hunter’s Associations of South Africa), a national body for hunters that promotes professional hunting and works alongside the government to ensure the protection of hunters.
The NMMU Staff A-Team, became the national champions of the 2015 Inter-University Staff Golf Championships. The team included staff members Johann Schaefer, Hennie van As, Anthony Marks and Gideon Horn. The team won the overall team competition with 269 points.
Chris Allen and Katharina Crafford, Department of Construction Management academics, whose study of a unique off-grid South African home was well received at a global sustainability conference in the UK. The thesis they presented, which reinforces the growing call for housing developments worldwide to incorporate sustainable, “energy-plus” homes, received the Chair’s Award for best paper at the recent Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society conference held at the Leeds Beckett University.
These students and staff members, as well as those that go unrecognised, continue to make us at NMMU extremely proud of all their achievements!