‘Give-it-all’ approach earns student distinction

DURBAN University of Technology (DUT) student Reece van Belkum received the coveted Dean’s Merit award when he graduated cum laude with a BTech Degree in Mechanical Engineering during the DUT virtual graduation ceremony on Wednesday, 10 June.

“Back in 2015, when I started my engineering journey, I would have been in complete disbelief that obtaining the Dean’s Merit award alongside my cum laude result, would be possible. It is such an honour to receive such a prestigious accolade. Reflecting on my life’s achievements, this is most definitely the greatest pinnacle yet, which took boundless effort, work ethic, energy, passion, attitude, dedication and most importantly a tenacious and positive mindset,” said van Belkum.

For van Belkum, growing up in an automotive mechanical workshop with his father, piqued his interest in mechanical devices.

“I would often find myself stripping discarded components and breaking assemblies down to a bare minimum to try and understand more. This is what initially sparked my interest in engineering. Today, I am pleased that I’m fixing more than breaking,” said the graduand.

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DUT gave him the opportunity he needed to pursue his passions by enrolling him after many other universities had denied his application due to unsatisfactory high school results, coupled with an unfavourable gap year.

However, he knew that the challenging Mechanical Engineering course was a perfect match for him.

Studying has been a tough ride for van Belkum. His first semester had passed, and he nearly didn’t.

 “I knew I had to take my ‘give-it-all’ approach to a whole new level and so I did by creating a lifestyle of much temporary sacrifice for a greater future.”

As time went by, his academic average kept growing steadily and his interests grew exponentially.

He completed his Diploma with a near miss at cum laude in the prescribed three-year minimum time. After a six-month break, post in-service training, he knew he still had much to learn.

He completed his BTech degree while maintaining a full-time job which was an extremely fatiguing routine, consisting of countless late nights behind books and not a weekend of grace.

“This could also be due to the fact that I took more than the recommended number of modules that was prescribed for working students per semester,” said van Belkum.

He is proud that he has completed his BTech in what felt like a record-breaking time of one and a half years.

“This may sound strange but I would literally carry around my calculator in my pocket as if it was a cellphone, because oddly enough the solutions to some of my thoughts regarding engineering problems would come to me at the strangest of times,” he said.

Van Belkum also knows that his late parents would have been especially proud of him, and he is also very grateful that his two brothers, friends and his loving partner have continuously supported and believed in him through it all.

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