Making friends: KPMG's Mike Blomkamp shares a few thoughts with BBusSc student Kgaogelo Pale.

KPMG bonds with commerce students

For years, accounting firm KPMG has funded the studies of a good many students enrolled on the Faculty of Commerce's academic-development programmes, the Bachelor of Business Science Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) and its Bachelor of Commerce Academic Development Programme (CADP).

Wishing to be more than just another faceless patron, KPMG annually hosts an evening of networking, as it did at the UCT Club again on May 19. Here ECP and CADP staff and students had a chance to link up with some of the firm's trainee accountants and senior staff members, including senior partner Mike Blomkamp, HR manager Russell Edwards and HR supervisor Rosie Piper.

Call for graduation stories

We're asking postgraduate supervisors and HODs to put their heads together at their next departmental meetings or gathering around the tea trolley to come up with some ideas. You can send these to Helen Théron, e-mail theronh@bremner.uct.ac.za, by June 3 at the latest, with the relevant contact names and details.

Double measure

Not one but two certificates have been awarded to the University Funding Office (UFO) by the national Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), the government loan scheme for tertiary education.

The team received the NSFAS Bronze Certificate for Work Excellence in 2004, and the 2005 Silver Certificate for the Most Improved Institution since 1994. These were presented at the NSFAS annual conference, held at the President Hotel.

UFO director Tasneem Salasa dedicated the awards to her team of stalwarts in the Student Development and Services Department.

"Your planning, dedication and commitment are to be admired," she wrote in a communiqué to her squad. "There is no better team. I am extremely proud."