By: Raymond Padya

The Durban University of Technology’s Graphic Department hosted its exhibition opening at City Campus on Tuesday, to acknowledge its third year students’ achievements.

Starting with the student of the year award, two students were tied on 82% overall mark, Skye Steen and Nathan Thomas. Both gladly split the R 5000 prize from Parvathyrama Chandra Charitable Trust as their classmates and families cheered for them.

Thomas, who also won a certificate for top student research and theory, was happy to share the award with a fellow classmate who also won another certificate for top student design portfolio.

“I’m really chuffed. I’m really excited to share this award with Skye because she is amazing, she is a good illustrator. I am really honored,” he said.

Some of the exhibitors work.

There were various students who entered into competitions during the year and the graphic design department was pleased especially with Tanya Shunguman who returned with the overall Graphic Design award of the Goldpack competition held in 2013 in Johannesburg. With more than 800 entries in the competition, Shunguman secured R 8000 worth of prizes for the best project in the Graphic Design Wine category and the gold medal as overall winner of the graphic design competition.

Frank Kalala, whose is the third year level coordinator for graphic design acknowledged that the DUT graphic design programme is probably the best in the country.

“We send seven students in the competition; three students made it in the top ten out of 800 students and from the three, one won the overall competition, the other (Nomonde Mbhele) received a merit award and the other one (Upton Lara) was one of the finalists,” said Kalala.

The exhibition went well and as other students and guests enjoyed the music and cocktails, others showcased their talents to the visitors.