On 27 March 2025, the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria hosted its annual Teaching and Learning prize-giving event. The occasion was a celebration of academic excellence, with recognition given to students for their outstanding performance in various modules during 2024. Additionally, academic staff were acknowledged for their exceptional contributions to teaching. During the event the Onderstepoort Community Choir added to the special atmosphere with their excellent performance.

After the welcoming address by the Dean of the faculty, Prof Vinny Naidoo, Prof Rhoda Leask, Deputy Dean for Teaching and Learning, who also acted as MC for the evening announced the prize winners.

Each year, faculty members are nominated for the prestigious 'Lecturer of the Year' awards, and for 2024, the nominees were as follows: For the BVSc Lecturer of the Year award the nominees were Dr Ingrid Cilliers; Dr Sarah Clift; Prof Amelia Goddard; Dr Alischa Henning; Dr Nicolene Hoepner; Prof Dietmar Holm; Dr Runganu Magadu; Dr Kate May; Prof Jan Myburgh; Dr Nicolize O’Dell; Dr Agatha Raeasala; Prof Johan Schoeman; Dr Yolandi Smit; Prof Ned Snelling; Dr Johan Steyl; Dr Christine Steyn; Dr Hein Stoltsz, and Dr Liesel van der Merwe.

Nominees for the BVetNurs Lecturer of the Year for 2024 were Sr Cornelia Hanekom, Prof Chris Marufu, Prof Darshana Morar-Leather, and Prof Ned Snelling.

For the New Lecturer of the Year award, the nominees for 2024 included Dr Francis Cameron-Ellis, Dr Ashleigh Knowles and Dr Olwam Monakali.

The awards are determined based on votes cast by students, allowing them to select their favourite candidates. The winners for 2024 were as follows:

• BVSc Lecturer of the Year for 2024: Dr Sarah Clift (sponsored by Zoetis and the faculty, DHET)
• BVetNurs Lecturer of the Year for 2024: Prof Ned Snelling (sponsored by Diag and the faculty, DHET)
• New Lecturer of the Year for 2024: Dr Francis Cameron-Ellis (sponsored by the faculty, DHET)

In addition, the GOP team was awarded the Module of the year award for the GOP 300 module.

Dr Sarah Clift (right) receives the BVSc Lecturer of the Year award for 2024 from the Zoetis representative, Lynne Pickersgill.

The following student prizes were awarded:

BVetNurs Prizes

• Virbac Prize for Veterinary Nursing Primary Animal Healthcare for best achievement in primary animal healthcare for veterinary nursing in the first year (PAH 110) in 2024: Rachel Crossey
• Montego Prize for Foundational Veterinary Nursing Science for best achievement in anatomy, physiology and applied ethology in the first year (SVF 110 & SVF 120) in 2024: Bianca Boshoff
• V-Tech Clinical Nursing Prize for best achievement in nursing care of the dermatological patient in the first year (CVN 122) in 2024: Bianca Boshoff
• The Southern Africa Animal Cancer Association (SAACA) Prize for Veterinary Nursing Practice for best achievement principles of diagnostic support relevant to veterinary nursing (PVN 120) in 2024: Bianca Boshoff
• Diag Clinical Nursing Prize for best achievement in nursing care of the musculoskeletal patient (CVN 211) in 2024: Arantxa Blecher
• V-Tech Clinical Nursing Prize for best achievement in reproductive nursing in the second year (CVN 213) in 2024: Arantxa Blecher
• Zoetis Prize for Clinical Nursing for best achievement in nursing care of the respiratory and cardiac patient and anesthesiology (CVN 222) in 2024: Arantxa Blecher
• Hills Clinical Nursing Prize for best achievement in critical nursing care of the veterinary patient (CVN 223) in 2024: Arantxa Blecher

BVSc Prizes

• Malie Smuts Trust Prize for best achievement in Veterinary Comparative Anatomy (VCA201) in 2024: Albert Siegfried Wisenach
• SAVA Prize for best achievement in Veterinary Professional Life 201 (VPL201) in 2024: Fatima Ismail
• Douw Steyn Floating Trophy for best achievement in toxicology (TOX300) in 2024: Suné van Aswegen
• Afrivet Prize for best achievement in Veterinary parasitology (VTP300) in 2024: Jana Engelbrecht and Marli Harmse
• Gerry Swan Floating Trophy for best achievement in General Pharmacology (VPH300) in 2024: Jana Engelbrecht
• RCL Prize for the best achievement in general surgery (GNS310) in 2024: Jani Olivier and Chené Swart
• SAVA Prize for best achievement in Veterinary Professional Life 301 (VPL301) in 2024: Jasmin Richter
• SAVA Prize for best achievement in Veterinary Professional Life 401 (VPL401) in 2024: Christiaan Bronkhorst
• Diag Prize for Best achievement in Clinical Pathology (CLP410) in 2024: Dominique Lee Blandin de Chalain
• South African Veterinary Foundation Pet Memorial Fund Prize for the best achievement in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery (SAS410 & SAS420) in 2024: Daniel Andrew Campbell
• RAMSEM Prize for best achievement in Veterinary Reproduction (VRP400) in 2024: Dominique Lee Blandin de Chalain
• Money and Medicine Prize for best achievement in Equine Medicine and Surgery (EQM400) in 2024: Marlé Steyn
• SAVA Prize for best achievement in Veterinary Epidemiology (EPL420) in 2024: Daniel Andrew Campbell
• Optivet Prize for best achievement in Diagnostic Pathology (DPT 511) in 2024: Paul-Hendri van der Merwe
• SAVA Prize for best achievement in Veterinary Public Health (VPH510) in 2024: Danielle Louise Pretorius
• Zoetis Prize for the best achievement in Ruminant Production Medicine and Herd Health 511 (RUM 511) in 2024: Casper John Venter
• RuVASA Prize for the best achievement in Ruminant Medicine and Surgery 510 (RUM 510) in 2024: Georgina Annette Agar
• SANLAM Prize for the best achievement in One Health (VOH510) in 2024: Febbry Setiawan
• Clinical Prize of the Johannesburg Branch of the South African Veterinary Association for best achievement in Veterinary Professional Life (VPL 511) in 2024: Lizelle Susanna Liebenberg, Kim Trollip, Amy Louise Rice, Rogan Georgia Uys, Mat Mason Jerling, Natalie la Grange, Amber Desiree Lombard and Hannah Fletcher
• South African Pork Producers Organisation Prize for the student with a special interest in Porcine Health and Production (PHP 510) in 2024: Paul-Hendri van der Merwe

View all the photos taken at the prizegiving ceremony here

The Faculty thanks all their sponsors from industry, the DHET and veterinary organisations for their contributions.