Vega School At Emeris IIE Graduate Achieves National Top Honours With 95% Average

Achieving a 95% average in her IIE Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences in Game Design and Development degree placed Rebecca Goodall first nationally across all The Vega School at Emeris campuses.

The Top Achiever also earned The Game Design and Development Pencil Award after she was conferred her degree at The Vega School at Emeris Umhlanga’s recent graduation ceremony.

She was one of the 171 The Vega School at Emeris uMhlanga students, which included 21 students from The Vega School at Emeris’ Online Centre, who graduated through The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE) Class of 2025.

Ten Class of 2025 graduates received The Pencil Award for achieving distinctions (75% and above) across every programme and or specialisation.

“I was ecstatic about receiving The Game Design and Development Pencil Award. I had worked incredibly hard throughout the degree and it felt rewarding to have that recognised,” said Goodall.

“I felt proud that I had made my parents proud and that I had made the most of the opportunity they gave me. It was also especially meaningful that the Award was presented by my lecturer Henk Scheepers who has been a mentor to me throughout my studies”.

On being named the national top performer, Goodall said the moment only fully sank in after she left the stage. “It was very unexpected. I was so excited. It was a huge sacrifice. I didn’t live the typical partying college life. I had my head down and studied full time for three years”.

Goodall said she never wanted to settle for doing the bare minimum during her studies.

“Being recognised for that level of commitment feels incredibly rewarding and validating”.

The moment she heard about the IIE Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences in Game Design and Development qualification offered at The Vega School at Emeris uMhlanga, she knew it was what she wanted to pursue.

“I had never heard of a degree that felt so specific to my interests and so aligned with the kind of work I wanted to do,” she explained.

Goodall said she was initially nervous about pursuing a technology qualification because she was homeschooled and had no formal Computer Science background.

“To build my confidence, I first completed an IIE Higher Certificate in Mobile Application and Web Development. Within a few weeks, I realised that not only could I handle it, but I genuinely loved it. This was when I knew this was something I wanted to do long term”.

Being homeschooled, Goodall said she was also concerned about feeling lost in a large tertiary environment.

“I was drawn to The Vega School at Emeris uMhlanga because of how personal the environment felt. That sense of community combined with the rarity and uniqueness of the degree itself, completely sold me on it”, she added.

Goodall said her degree gave her exposure to industry while also helping her discover her own niche within it.

In her downtime, she enjoyed designing and playing games. To celebrate after graduation, she had lunch with her parents Alice and Gregory Goodall and later met her fellow graduates and some of their lecturers at The Big Bang Shop to play Magic: The Gathering card game.

She’s currently working as a Software Developer for ThoroughTec Simulation. “I feel incredibly grateful to have found work so soon after completing my degree”.

Goodall’s advice to prospective students?

“Get to know your lecturers, attend class and ask. Learning becomes so much easier when you feel comfortable engaging with your lecturers and classmates”.

Henk Scheepers (Game Design and Development Lecturer at The Vega School at Emeris uMhlanga) said Goodall consistently went beyond what was required in every project.

“There was always evidence of thinking that continued well beyond what was introduced in class. She has the rare ability to absorb ideas quickly and to keep pulling at the thread long after others have moved on, not only demonstrating curiosity but also real discipline. I am incredibly proud of Rebecca”, he said.

Rajesh Chandarman (Campus Head at The Vega School at Emeris uMhlanga) congratulated the graduating Class of 2025 and praised the students for their perseverance, determination and hard work throughout their academic journey.