Here at Rhodes, we’re educating our students for LIFE and a LIVING! That means students are not just equipped and ready for the workplace once they graduate, they are equipped for life and to be agents of positivity and hope in society! This week we celebrated with  over 30 Engaged Citizenry programme alumni who obtained undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. 

Social Science graduate Phiwayinkosi Dlamini and his family who traveled from Swaziland to celebrate the graduation of their son joined other graduates at RUCE to celebrate their achievements. 

Phiwayinkosi participated in the Nine Tenths Matric Mentoring Programm and spent his time at Rhodes mentoring two Grade 12 learners at Kutliso Daniels Secondary School. In 2024 Phiwo’s mentees excelled in the National Senior Certificate exam. This year one learner is registered at Rhodes for Pharmacy and the other is registered at UJ for a BA degree. 

Graduation has also provided an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the many students who graduated from Rhodes University after having been part of CE programmes at their high schools. 

Over 100 alumni from tutoring and mentoring programmes at local no-fee paying schools graduated this year. 33 of these graduates participated in the Nine Tenths programme at school and were accepted to Rhodes University based on their Matric results. Another 74 graduates (1 in 28) are alumni of the GADRA Matric School. The other 27 accessed Rhodes through the Bridging Programme. Half of the bridging students graduating with their first degree this weekend have completed their studies in the minimum timeframe. 

Our group of graduates this year also includes RUCE Service Learning and BuddingQ Coordinator, Nicola Nikki Green who has obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainability Learning. Nikki joined the RUCE team this year and their career has been deeply rooted in community development, social justice, and higher education, with a strong focus on integrating community engagement into academic practice. Their teaching philosophy integrates experiential learning, critical reflection, and active collaboration with community partners, fostering meaningful engagement between the university and broader society.

And as a culmination of a long week of reflecting on tumultuous journeys and reconnecting with colleagues and friends, the CE community in Makhanda celebrates the Recipient of the 2024 Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for Community Engagement - Prof Samantha Naidu.Prof Naidu formally received her Award of Friday morning. 

Dr Mabokang Monnapula-Mapesela, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs presented the award at the Friday Graduation Ceremony. 

“Professor Naidoo is one of the two black female full professors at Rhodes University,” Dr MonnapulaMapesela announced. “One of the two only. She is an accomplished scholar and as a literary studies academic teacher, researcher and practitioner, recognises that reading and sustained reading cultures are essential to his discipline and the broader success of higher education, knowledge, production and community well-being.”