Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, said: “This is our last graduation ceremony for the year, and we are happy to be able to share in the celebrations and achievements of our graduates. Congratulations to the class of 2022, and thank you for choosing UWC as your academic home.”

He added: “Graduation ceremonies are important in many ways. For instance, it is a time to take stock and assess the return on the investment made in your studies.”

One such important story is the academic journey of Farheen Palekar, who completed her BA in Oral Hygiene and will graduate on Thursday, 15 December 2022.

At an early age, Farheen (pictured) was diagnosed with dyslexia. As a result, her primary and high school career was not easy, and she attended ten schools because her educational requirements were never fully met. She explained: “I did Quran Studies, and when I completed it I questioned what was my purpose in the world? I realised that I wanted to do something in the Health Sciences field, because I love giving back to the community.”

In 2020 she enrolled at UWC, but even her tertiary education was not without its challenges. She had been accepted at another university, but they ultimately declined her application because she disclosed that she had dyslexia: “I was told I wouldn’t be able to cope with the academic pressure,” said Farheen.

Her sister, Mehreen Palekar, was a pillar of strength for her and would help her read her assignments and prepare for exams. Farheen also had the assistance of the Centre for Student Support Services (CSSS) at UWC which she credits as being key to her success.

“I got extra time, spelling dispensation and wrote the final exams at the CSSS offices,” said Farheen. She added that she was initially naive but soon realised she was on the right track.

“Every three years you need to do an assessment with an educational psychologist, because I actually believed you could outgrow your dyslexia.”

Farheen is also the first university graduate in her family, which is another reason she worked tirelessly to get her degree. “I have proved to the world that no matter what your disadvantages or disabilities you can do anything if you put your mind to it. I honestly believe that your mind is your most powerful weapon. I didn’t give up because I knew what my goal was,” said Farheen.

The Director of the Centre for Student Support Services (CSSS), Laetitia Permall, is proud of Farheen and all students, especially those with disabilities who achieve academic success. She said that it’s never a one size fits all approach to the support that they offer.

“When a student applies to register with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSwD) to access specialised support, an assessment is conducted to determine the specific needs for the disability the student is registered for. The reasonable accommodations required are unique for each individual, so the assessment report is critical to meet the students where they are.”

The CSSS is exploring more proactive enablers to support the special learning and mental health needs of students in a manner that ensures that they see themselves as co-creators of their success, Permall said: “In 2021 the Integrated Student Mental Health and Wellness policy was approved, and a priority now is to develop a university wide implementation plan that also takes specific departmental contextual factors into account. A priority of the plan is to integrate strategies to assist students to break down the stigma of mental health and disability so that students understand that the sooner they disclose their disabilities, whether visible or invisible, the sooner requisite support can be put in place for them in collaboration with the relevant faculty.”