Recipients of the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Merit Awards (VCDMA) were recently honoured at the Welcome Conference, a virtual ceremony that took place on Thursday, 10 February.

The VCDMAs recognise exceptional school-leaving achievers based on their Grade 12 results, and their potential for success.

Gauteng’s 2021 overall top performer, Kristen Erasmus – who received nine distinctions – was a recipient of the award and attended the conference. “I feel honoured and privileged to be part of this amazing group of people and to be celebrated at this event,” she said.

“Our VCDMA students bring with them academic distinction, together with a spirit of determination and traits pertaining to hard work,” said UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe, who gave the keynote address at the event. “You stand on the brink of your future career, with the world as your oyster. Just as you contribute towards UP’s overall image, so too we hope that we will leave our imprint on you as you progress through your studies and on to the working world. There are many things we hope for, for our graduates. We hope for them to achieve success, to be trailblazers and to reach new frontiers in their chosen career path. These hopes have indeed been fulfilled in our many alumni who are world leaders in their fields.”

Prof Kupe explained that the first VCDMA students were selected in 2016. “We started with only 13 students, and since then, 315 students have received this distinguished honour. I am very proud of this group for the following achievements: 83.33% completed their degrees in the minimum time; 24 completed their honours degrees; and two graduated with a master’s degree.”

VCDMA recipients are invited to be part of a unique leadership programme facilitated by non-profit organisation Common Purpose, which develops leaders who can cross boundaries and are enabled to solve complex problems both in organisations and cities.

They also get the chance to participate in the EyeBrainGym programme, which helps them to see more, read faster, remember better and think clearer. These elements aim to improve visual intelligence so that the students are able to get maximum benefit from the academic opportunities they have access to.

“The improvement in visual skills is significant – almost all candidates improved, on average, from a Grade 7 level to postgraduate level,” said Phindile Mthimunye of UP’s Department of Enrolment and Student Administration, and recipient of the 2021 EyeBrainGym Champion Implementer Award. “This allowed many of them to feel more confident in their abilities to do well at UP.”

Top achiever Erasmus will be pursuing a BCom in Accounting Sciences at UP. “I chose to study at UP not only because it is one of the best universities in the world, but also because it has been part of my life since I was very young,” she said. “My academic career at UP started when I was enrolled as a six-month-old in the Musicula programme [musical classes for child development, hosted by a UP professor]. My school choirs frequently performed in the Musaion and the Aula; I was also at the campus a couple of times for the science expo. I could not imagine going anywhere else.”

Nadia Schmidt, the second best-performing learner in Gauteng and a VCDMA recipient, was also at the event. She will be pursuing a Bachelor’s in Medicine and Surgery at UP. “I am very grateful for the privilege to be part of the VCDMA group,” she said. “I hope to benefit from the opportunity and to contribute to the dynamics of the group.”

UP is considered as one of the best tertiary institutions in Africa, Schmidt added when asked why she chose to study at the University. “Also, my older brother is studying towards a Mechanical Engineering degree at UP, and my parents reside in Pretoria, so it is convenient for me to study at UP while living at home.”

“I was very excited when I heard I had been chosen to be part of such a prestigious programme,” said Minenhle Mzimela, another VCDMA recipient, who has enrolled for a BCom Accounting degree. “I feel very honoured and proud.” Mzimela choose the University because “UP has a reputation for being one of the best universities, not only in South Africa, but in Africa”.

“I was also influenced by people who studied at UP and who had nothing but good things to say about their experiences at the University.”