Bottle your memories

On the lookout for that special graduation memento, other than the degree certificate? Then search no further than the bottles of graduation wine marketed by RAG (Remember And Give), which raises funds for the Students' Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO). The wine sales contribute some R60 000 to SHAWCO's many projects each year. It's a memorable gift in more ways than one. The bottle itself is a keepsake as the label lists the name of each and every December graduate. (Each sale comes with a magnifying glass.) The wine, by the way, is produced by the award-winning Hoopenberg Wine Estate. The red wine is a 2003 Dry Red Blend (shiraz-merlot), and the white is a 2004 chenin blanc. The sparkling wine and non-alcoholic beverages come from the much-acclaimed Oranjerivier Wynkelder. The wine will be sold in the Leslie Social Sciences Building foyer during the graduation week. For more information on the wine, contact RAG at uctrag.gradwine@gmail.com, or visit http://www.uctrag.com.

Learning new languages

Last week, the Multilingualism Education Project (MEP) held a graduation ceremony for 34 staff members who had completed the isiXhosa Communications Skills Course. All are from the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED) and UCT Libraries. This year's course, made up of 12 sessions, was the first and served as a pilot run for MEP. Four isiXhosa courses will be held in the first semester of 2007, and another four in the second. Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Martin Hall said that he hoped that by the introduction of isiXhosa courses for staff "we will turn into a thoroughly African university and therefore a world university".

It's all the way for 2006 medics

Corks catapulted skywards and champagne arced across the Barnard Fuller quad as the MBChB results were announced recently. There was good reason for celebration: a 98% pass rate among the 183 candidates, Professor Marian Jacobs, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, announced from the balcony.

Debbie Rencken won the University Gold Medal for the most distinguished MBChB student, graduating with honours. Twenty-five students from the MBChB class are graduating with first-class honours, a new record for the faculty.

Other results were: BSc in Audiology, eight; BSc in Speech Language Pathology, 17 (two with distinctions); BSc in Occupational Therapy, 51 (two with distinctions); BSc in Physiotherapy, 62 (four with distinctions).

The occupational therapy and audiology classes recorded a 100% pass rate. Tessa Eidelman won the Occupational Therapy Gold Medal.

(Thanks go to Dr Tony Behrman and Dr Graham Howarth from the Medical Protection Society who sponsored the bash.)