Wits University hosts awards for humanities students who excelled in various degrees at their annual prize giving.

Bachelor of arts graduate, Jenna Beckenstrater holding up her awards, including multiple certificates and the humanities silver medal which is given for meritorious achievement in a Bachelor of arts degree. Photo: Georgia Cartwright

The dean of humanities, Professor Mucha Musemwa congratulated the award winners on Tuesday, May 2 in the Great Hall and advised them to, “stay curious [and] to keep conquering” the infamous ‘Wits edge’.

Different awards were presented throughout the evening to departments in humanities including the Wits School of Education, School of Arts, School of Literature, Language, and Media and many other disciplines. At the end of the evening, the most prestigious award (the dean’s medal) was given to Bachelor of Arts graduate Tshepiso Mashigo.

Students were proud of how far they have come including Italian studies graduate Josephine Matthews (21), who told Wits Vuvuzela, “It was tough to study online but perseverance is key [and] I managed to succeed in third-year despite these challenges.”

Silver medal winner, Jenna Beckenstrater (23) described their journey as “long and stressful,” and advised current students in humanities to make friends because it can help “get you through the tough times”.

Friends and family members in attendance cheered and applauded the accomplishments of their loved ones. One family member, Alessandro Colafranceschi told Wits Vuvuzela that watching his daughter receive a prize filled him with an “overwhelming sense of pride and joy”.

Award-winners were excited to have accomplished so much in their degrees, like Wits centre for Journalism’s very own, 2022 Student Journalist of the Year, Tannur Anders (23) who said students should, “Go for it! Immerse yourself in it and say “yes” to every opportunity,” adding that “you never know what you might learn”. Anders now works as an editorial intern for Thomson Reuters, showing the true possibilities of pushing yourself the extra mile.

Musemwa thanked humanities staff members and sponsors for their support in the department and for pushing a generation of “thinkers, doers, and world-changers” to succeed in future endeavours.

FEATURED IMAGE: The Patrick Laurence Student Journalist of the year, Tannur Anders walking across the stage in the Great Hall to receive her award. Photo: Georgia Cartwright

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