​During #lockdown, Matie alumnus and Capetonian Mia Esterhuyzen finds herself at the rhino sanctuary near Nelspruit where she has been volunteering nearly every single holiday since 2015. Esterhuyzen is one of the 169 students of the Faculty of AgriSciences who earlier this month received their degrees during Stellenbosch University's first virtual graduation ceremony. In Esterhuyzen's case, she received her BScAgric Agricultural Economic Analysis and Management degree cum laude.

In total, 3278 SU students recently graduated.

“When I heard about #lockdown, I immediately left for the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary to lend a hand. It's hard work, and sometimes it means I have to feed a young calf every four hours or so. It is however the greatest privilege to wake up every morning and to know that I am going to help a rhinoceros in one way or another," she says. “It's such a privilege to work here, and to make a contribution to the sanctuary and to saving rhinos."

She's been passionate about rhinoceros ever since she was 16 years old and had her first experience of caring for an orphaned rhino. Since then, she's held the dream of becoming a veterinary surgeon who helps endangered animals.

Her dream finally came true this year, when Esterhuyzen, who already matriculated in 2013 from Jan van Riebeeck High School in Cape Town, was started her veterinary science studies at the University of Pretoria's Onderstepoort campus.

She first tried getting into the programme, to which only a handful of students are accepted, in her matric year. When she was unsuccessful, she reluctantly in 2014 started with a BSc at the University of Pretoria. By her second year she left the university, without even formally quitting her studies.

“When your dream is crushed, there's really little motivation left to study something you really do not enjoy much. Even though I'm quite an independent being, it also did not help that I was so far from home," says Mia, who greatly appreciates her parents' support over the years.

In June 2015 she started her first stint as volunteer at Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary. The initial two weeks later turned into two months.

She has the greatest respect and admiration for owner Petronel Nieuwoudt. She taught Esterhuyzen everything there is to know about caring for wounds, how to mix feed for young rhinoceros and how to read animal behaviour. Nieuwoudt also gradually started to motivate Esterhuyzen to consider studying again, and to further herself.

She says Nieuwoudt is her greatest mentor and helped her to keep going until she could reach her dreams.

During this time and without her knowledge, Mia's mother “and best friend' applied on her behalf to Stellenbosch University. She was accepted for the BSc Agricultural Economics programme – a field that she had no inkling about. After much paperwork and a late application, Esterhuyzen started her studies at SU in 2016.

“Right from the start, I knew it would be my one and only last chance," Esterhuyzen remembers.

She found the wide range of modules that are part and parcel of the agricultural economics programme quite interesting. It included soil science, animal science, agricultural economics, financial management and financial accounting. She also took on animal anatomy and physiology as an extra subject.

“Oh yes, I did often think that agricultural economics wasn't 100% me. It was however important to me to make a success of it. I realised that if I could not become a vet, I could at least use my studies to make a difference in the lives of rhinoceros. As agricultural economist I could for instance look at how to crash the market for rhino horn, or I could use my financial skills to help manage the farm."

She has only the greatest respect for her lecturers. Many understood her passion for rhinos and allowed her to where possible do related projects. In her final year, she completed her mini-thesis on the value of legalising the rhino horn trade.

They also supported her when she last year decided to once again apply to study veterinary science. In the back of her mind she had a master's degree in agricultural economics as a Plan B, just in case she once again was not accepted.

On 18 September last year she received “the best news ever" that she could start her studies!

“It's sheer luck, perhaps even a miracle, that I was accepted," she recons after her first few weeks of classes.

Esterhuyzen says she's living proof that one should never give up on your dreams, even if other people think they are near impossible to reach.

“Don't give up, even if you feel despondent and demotivated. If things do not work out, find your second best option, and make it work," is her advice to young people. “You must do what makes you happy. Money isn't everything. You must have a purpose that benefits the world, and helps people and animals.

“Maybe, if I had known that there were more people like me who had to wait very long to reach their dreams, it would have motivated me even more," she concludes.