UNIVERSITY of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) summa cum laude graduate and Berea resident, Tayla Pearce, attributes her success in graduating at the top of her class to hard work and resilience.

The aspiring Chartered Accountant [CA(SA)] earned a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, which she one day hopes will lead to a career in forensic auditing. Pearce was among the top three graduates in her class, along with Kyran Otto and Natasha Robinson.

The three received high praise at the recent graduation ceremony at UKZN Westville campus. Pearce was the recipient of the 2024 Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship, an honour bestowed to the top undergraduate students who have demonstrated excellent performance over two or more years of study.

“I am extremely grateful to PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and UKZN who have contributed greatly towards my fees throughout my years of study. This achievement would not have been possible without the unconditional support and love from my parents,” said Pearce.

Also Read: UKZN’s autumn grad season gets underway with over 8000 graduands

It was, however, not all smooth sailing for Pearce. “My experience has been exciting, but also difficult. Finances were a major concern throughout the pursuit of this degree. I devoted much of my time towards my studies and my hard work is a testament to this achievement. My ultimate goal is to become a CA (SA) with a possible future in forensic auditing,” she said.

For Robinson, who also struggled to finance her studies, receiving the UKZN’s 50th Anniversary Award in 2024 was a huge relief. “Growing up, my mom was the sole breadwinner in my household of four, so bursaries and scholarships were very important to me. I am extremely grateful to Ernst & Young and UKZN for alleviating me of the financial stress of my degree. My future plans are to become financially stable so that I can give back to my parents, and thank them for the sacrifices that they have made for me throughout my life. This degree provides me with opportunities to make this a reality.”

For Otto, who received the Malegapuru W. Makgoba Scholarship in 2023 and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship in 2024, graduating summa cum laude is a true full-circle moment.

“To call it a proud moment would be nothing short of an understatement. I am going to be the very first Chartered Accountant [CA (SA)] in the family and my extended family. My parents have made countless sacrifices to enrich my academic journey and these achievements truly are the fruits of their labour,” said Otto. “Having the opportunity to attend university and obtain a qualification is a privilege that my parents did not experience. I attribute this positive outlook for the future, in part, to the investment that UKZN has made in my life through my degree.”

Otto is pursuing his Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting and will soon commence his articles with Deloitte.

For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here