KZN woman who strove for academic excellence graduates cum laude with 20 distinctions
Durban — A Pietermaritzburg woman walked away with her Diploma in Public Relations and Communications Management and the cherry on top were the 20 distinctions she bagged with it.
Nolwazi Ndlela, from Imbali in Pietermaritzburg, bagged 20 distinctions for her diploma.
Ndlela lit up the stage with a smile and celebrated her milestone at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) Autumn Graduation ceremony held at the Olive Convention Centre on Monday, May 27.
In 2021, Ndlela’s journey began and that was when she told herself that she would leave a mark and make her parents proud.
Her dream has always been to enrol in public relations as she wants to become a public figure. In the future, she sees herself as the public face of international companies.
“To live my dream, I chose public relations so I could gain a wide range of skills, including communication,” Ndlela said.
Among the DUT ENVISION2030 Living Values and Principles that Ndlela associates herself with is commitment.
“Commitment in my academics also contributed to my personal growth, it brought a sense of accomplishment,” Ndlela said.
Reflecting on her success, she said it was a dream come true.
“I am over the moon that I graduated cum laude. It was indeed a dream come true because I had been striving to excel in my academics since my second year. I never believed I could do so well until I saw my first-year results. That was when I knew I was capable, so I persevered.”
“It is absolutely amazing. I am so happy. I couldn’t believe it, my hard work paid off. All those sleepless nights, the stressing, the studying. God came through. I’m grateful,” Ndlela said about her 20 distinctions.
She said her parents were also happy.
“I’m the last born and I’m the first one to complete a course at varsity, so they are really happy. It was very emotional for them.”
Currently, Ndlela is doing her Advanced Diploma in Public Relations. She aims to work in diverse industries to gain a broad understanding of how public relations functions, become a trusted adviser in an organisation, and influence key decisions that impact the organisation’s reputation and success.
Advising first-year students, Ndlela said they should befriend smart people. That way, they will also do well in their academics and stay focused.
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