Graduation was a distinctive family affair for mother and son Melissa and Calem Gilbert when they celebrated graduating summa cum laude together from the College of Law and Management Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).
Top achiever Calem, who graduated with a Bachelor of Business Science in Finance, is also a proud recipient of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship, awarded to the top three undergraduates in their third year of study at the 2025 UKZN Scholarship Awards Ceremony. He says studying at the same university with his mother was a special experience.
“It was not always easy! There were long nights, tight deadlines and moments when we were both exhausted,” said Calem.
“What made it even more unique is that we are quite close in age, my mom is 43 and I am 23. So, we related well to each other, not only as parent and child, but almost as peers experiencing the same journey. Over time, what could have been a stressful experience became something meaningful for us,” he said.
Melissa, a UKZN staff member working as the Higher Degrees Academic Administrative Officer at the College of Humanities, said achieving a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Human Resource Management was thanks to hard work, strong faith and consistency.
“There were many days when we did not feel like studying, but we showed up anyway. We kept each other accountable and continually reminded ourselves why we started. Ultimately, this journey was about more than academic success. It was about growth, faith, perseverance and walking the journey together,” she said.
Looking to the future, the mother-and-son duo plan to continue growing academically and professionally, whether through further studies or by building their careers. “More than anything, we want to make a meaningful impact and make our family proud. As we have throughout this journey, we will continue to support one another,” said Melissa.
Calem is currently pursuing a Master of Commerce degree in Finance under the supervision and mentorship of Dr Hilary Muguto.
“After completing my master’s degree, I plan to pursue a Doctorate in Finance, with the goal of becoming a lecturer at UKZN. I also hope to contribute meaningful research that supports the development of emerging markets, particularly in South Africa,” said Calem.
Words: Thandiwe Jumo
Photograph: Sethu Dlamini