.jpeg)
This interdisciplinary degree includes students from Nature Conservation, Agricultural Management and Forestry Management.
“The large class of 24 students had a 100% pass rate, several distinctions and eight students graduating cum laude.
The majority are also continuing with their master’s degrees, namely nine in Conservation, five in Forestry and two in Agriculture, as well as one student at the University of Cape Town, says Dr Anina Coetzee, lecturer in Conservation Management.
Students typically follow careers at national and international conservation organisations, public and private organisations, that have sustainability managers. This year nine students are enrolled for the programme, says Dr Coetzee.
Among the students who are graduating cum laude are a married couple, Dietre Stols and Rebecca Ryen-Stols, who met at the opening ceremony in 2017 as first-year Nature Conservation diploma students.
“We married at the end of 2021, just after finishing our Advanced Diploma in Nature Conservation. We both love research in the ecological field, especially large mammal ecology.
"Ideally, we would love to work together in the research or conservation management department of a protected area in the savanna biome", Dietre says.
The couple are both studying for their master’s degrees in Nature Conservation. Rebecca’s research focuses on estimating population density and assessing the territorial behaviour of African lions in Kruger National Park.
Dietre investigates the long-term patterns of species and functional trait preferences of woody vegetation by African elephants and how this influences tree species diversity and functional diversity over time in two protected areas in the savanna biome.
Rebecca’s dream job would be to work as a large carnivore ecologist and conduct research on threatened species, such as lions and wild dogs, whereas Dietre would love to work as a researcher or ecologist focusing on large mammals.
For all your graduation content across your social media platforms, please use #MandelaUniGrad24. We would love to collate, share and celebrate this amazing achievement with you on official University platforms.