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Best of Grad April 2019

18 April 2019 | Photos Brenton Geach, Je’nine May and Michael Hammond.

More than a week of graduation celebrations ended today with more than 5 000 students capped during 14 ceremonies attended by about 14 000 people, including loved ones who travelled from near and far to be there for the big moment. Laughter, cheering and ululating were the order of the day throughout, with graduates leaving with words of wisdom, encouragement and advice from a range of speakers, including Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba and the man who co-founded GetSmarter, Sam Paddock. In the words of Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, Graduation April 2019 was a “true African celebration”. Brenton Geach, Je’nine May and Michael Hammond were there to capture it all on camera.

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Graduation April 2019


The University of Cape Town honoured over 5 000 students during 14 graduation ceremonies that took place from Wednesday, 10 April until Thursday, 18 April 2019. During the 14 ceremonies – attended by about 14 000 people – 70 doctoral degrees and 383 master’s degrees were conferred. An honorary doctorate in engineering was be awarded to Professor David Roger Jones Owen on Saturday, 13 April 2019. Among the speakers at the various ceremonies were Judy Sikuza, deputy executive director of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation; Nkazi Sokhulu, co-founder and CEO of Yalu Financial Services; Sam Paddock, co-founder of GetSmarter and GetWine; UCT engineering alumnus Mavo Solomon; and Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba.

 
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Full ceremony recordings



Faculty of Health Sciences graduation ceremony – 13 April 2019 at 18:00 Students from the Faculty of Health Sciences were robed at a graduation ceremony at 18:00 on 13 April. 13 Apr 2019
Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment graduation ceremony – 13 April 2019 at 14:00 Students from the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment were robed at a graduation ceremony at 14:00 on 13 April. 13 Apr 2019
Faculty of Commerce graduation ceremony – 13 April 2019 at 09:00 Students from the Faculty of Commerce were robed at a graduation ceremony at 09:00 on 13 April. 13 Apr 2019
Faculties of Law and Humanities graduation ceremony – 12 April 2019 at 18:00 Students from the faculties of Law and Humanities were robed at a graduation ceremony at 18:00 on 12 April. 12 Apr 2019
Faculty of Commerce graduation ceremony – 11 April 2019 at 18:00 Students from the Faculty of Commerce were robed at a graduation ceremony at 18:00 on 11 April. 11 Apr 2019
Faculty of Humanities graduation ceremony - 10 April at 18:00 Students from the Faculty of Humanities were robed at a graduation ceremony at 18:00 on 10 April. 10 Apr 2019

 

PHOTO ESSAYS

Videos
 

Our stories: inspirational graduates


Fourth UCT degree for EMS director Medeé Rall, director of the Centre for Extra-Mural Studies at UCT, collects her fourth degree from the institution today – her PhD in education. 12 Apr 2019
‘Don’t allow your circumstances to define you’ Psychology graduand Minkateko Ndlovu (21) says she has emerged successful from three “tough” years at university because she decided not to allow her challenges to define her. 10 Apr 2019
‘I am somebody because of UCT’ With help from colleagues and classmates, graduand Mteteleli Jobela has beaten the odds and will be capped in the Sarah Baartman Hall tomorrow. 10 Apr 2019
Graduation part of queer activist’s mission Nigel Patel’s graduation is a stepping stone on the way to fulfilling their life’s mission to effect the decriminalisation of queerness. 09 Apr 2019
Master’s oceanography thesis ‘all at sea’ The inhospitable Southern Ocean is not a place from which any master’s graduand – not even an oceanographer – would choose to relay final changes to their thesis. 09 Apr 2019
‘This is my mother’s graduation’ While it’s his name on the degree, Ntebogang Segone says his 17 April graduation belongs to his mother. 08 Apr 2019
Women top UCT’s civil engineering honours class UCT women are making significant strides in civil engineering, where they account for six of the department’s 11 first-class honours students graduating this month. 08 Apr 2019
Making his ‘first lady’s’ dream come true When Sanele Mangena graduates with his BCom in economics and finance from UCT, he will make his mother’s dream come true. 05 Apr 2019
New script for shark survivor and drama graduand When a great white shark attacked Caleb Swanepoel in June 2015, he thought he would die. But a new script was being written for the April graduand. 05 Apr 2019
SA’s first deaf law graduate Qobo Ningiza refused to be put off by multiple rejections, and next week he will become South Africa’s first deaf law graduate. 04 Apr 2019
‘Imposter’ graduates with full suite of distinctions Severely burnt in a gas explosion 15 years ago, 24-year-old Aniek Nieuwenhuis has found new meaning in her life, defying the odds stacked against her. 04 Apr 2019
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