Graduation is an imperative rite of passage for graduates and choosing the perfect attire whether traditional or Western becomes a crucial part of graduation. For 27-year-old Takatso Wendy Ramangoele, having the perfect graduation outfit and looking picture-perfect was her dream from the time she was in High School.
The gorgeous-looking Ramangoele graduated for her National Diploma in Ecotourism Management at the Faculty of Management Sciences, at the DUT Autumn Celebratory Graduation at the Royal Show Grounds in Midlands on Tuesday, 26 July 2022.
The session also saw graduates in Nursing from the Faculty of Health Sciences also graduating in the same session.
Ramangoele explained that graduating was such an over-whelming experience and took years of struggle too. However, choosing her cultural, black and white attire became her dream passion for her special day, a plan that conceptualised whilst she was still in High School.
Her beaded, eight-piece cultural attire became significant for graduation which she specially obtained to showcase her jovial feeling of happiness. Diamond beaded shapes with the traditional shield were patterns that dominated her Zulu garment.
In terms of her studies, Ramangoele mentioned that she wanted to do something pertaining to environmental studies but settled for Ecotourism and has not looked back. She enjoyed the fact that the course was practical, and had real world learning.
“I love the course because it entails being outdoors and not cooped up in class all the time,” she confessed.
Her voyage to excelling academically has only begun as she aims to complete her studies in Environmental Health and obtaining her degree in it.
Giving the vote of thanks was Executive Dean in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Gugu Mchunu who thanked the graduates for choosing DUT as a university of choice.
“We hope that the number of years that you have spent at DUT has changed your life forever. Coincidentally both the programmes we are graduating are all about the environment and sustaining the welfare of people,” she said.
She conveyed to the graduates that when they should go out to the world to be the change they want to be.
“Be the breath of fresh air and fly the DUT flag high up wherever you are,” Once again, congratulations to the class of 2021,” she said.
Pictured; Takatso Wendy Ramangoele
Photographer: Vusi Dlamini
Waheeda Peters