DURBAN: It was a proud moment in the Bagwandin household, as a mom and her son graduated together this week at the UKZN autumn virtual graduation.
Ronica Bagwandin, who works at UKZN, graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree and her son Nervay graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma (Hons) in Bachelor of Commerce Accounting.
The mom and son were overjoyed about sharing the occasion together, each dedicating their degree to the other.
Ronica, who achieved eight certificates of merit during her studies, decided to go on an educational journey with her son, as she felt they would motivate each other.
“It feels surreal. The pride and joy I feel right now is inexplicable.
“A parent wants nothing more than to see their child succeed – seeing him accomplish his dream is a blessing,” she said.
“We wept tears of joy together when we both passed our finals. That was the most precious moment in my life,” she added.
Speaking about his mother’s achievement, Nervay added: “I admire her courage and strength to pursue her degree. She showed great perseverance and has always inspired me through leading by example. I am who I am because of her strength and determination.”
Ronica believes a good support structure at home and work helped her achieve her degree.
“It was difficult at times, but the fruits of all the sacrifices and late nights have made it all worthwhile,” she said.
Ronica is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) degree in Criminology and Forensic Sciences, while Nervay is doing his articles at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) in Pietermaritzburg.
To mark the special occasion, Ronica and Nervay hired graduation attire and posed for a professional photo shoot.
IOL