RECTOR’S OFFICE
D
ear Student
Have you noticed the slight bite in the breeze lately? Have you seen the majestic carpet of golden
brown leaves down by the river? The season is
changing, and as the days seem to get shorter and
the nights colder, our beautiful campus is getting
ready to welcome autumn in all its splendour.
While April may still hold a small amount of heat,
the coming months will slowly ealcome winter. The
month of May is, however, not only synonymous
with the arrival of autumn but also with graduation.
Every graduation ceremony represents a red letter day for the Vaal Triangle Campus – and since
the University is celebrating its 10th anniversary,
the 2014 graduation ceremonies are set to be even
more special and memorable. Did you know that
during the past 10 years, the Vaal Triangle Campus’s graduation numbers increased exponentially?
In 2004 the Faculty of Humanities saw 597 students
graduating, whilst more than 890 took to the stage
in 2013. The Faculty of Economic Sciences and Information Technology saw 188 students graduating
in 2004 and in 2013 they applauded 615 graduates. From these statistics it is very clear that the
NWU – and more so the Vaal Triangle Campus,
have enjoyed ten years of growth and academic
performance.
Graduation ceremonies tend to create quite a stir
on the Campus – and believe it or not, it is not only
students that get excited and inspired during this
period. Graduation represents the ultimate (academic) achievement and it encourages all of us
to become actively involved in making our world
a better place. For the graduates walking across
the stage, the ceremonies beckon the way toward
a new and exciting chapter in their lives. As their
qualification is bestowed upon them, they epitomize the very ethos of coming to age since a graduation ceremony is – in its most basic form, a rite of
passage (...such as birth, adulthood and marriage).
Being one of the most awaited events of every
student, graduation celebration will always be a
4 - Student 24/7
significant because of the deeper meaning that it
exemplifies in the lives of graduates.
For those of us sitting in the audience – and on the
stage, the immense sense of pride and shared joy
tend to sweep over us like a comforting blanket.
And this is exactly what a graduation ceremony
should be – a celebration of accomplishment and
perseverance, but also the start of something new
and exciting.
So, if you are privileged enough to walk across the
stage in the coming weeks, or find yourself sitting
in the audience, take pride in the ceremony and
the symbolism it is entrenched in for it will leave a
lasting impression on you.
Remember: Learning every day is the key to success! As a graduate you have the ability to create a
beautiful world of tomorrow – congratulations and
good luck!