Sisters Jemma and Juliet du Plessis shared a milestone when they both graduated with distinction (achieving an overall qualification mark of 75% or above) through the Independent Institute of Education (The IIE) at IIE-Vega Cape Town’s recent graduation ceremony. They were among the 241 students, including 23 from IIE-Vega’s Online Centre, who received their qualifications at the event.
Jemma graduated with an IIE Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design and Juliet with an IIE Bachelor of Commerce in Strategic Brand Management. Juliet also received the IIE-Vega Pencil Achievement Award in her qualification. The Pencil Award recognised top performing students who graduated with distinction across every programme and or specialisation. IIE-Vega is an educational brand of the Independent Institute of Education (The IIE).
On receiving the Pencil Award, Juliet said it meant more than academic achievement for her. “It reminded me that people do notice the effort you put in. When I went to thank my Brand Management and Communications lecturer Karen Lategan, she spoke about my bubbly personality and that meant so much to me.
Sisters Juliet (left) and Jemma du Plessis both graduated with distinction through the Independent Institute of Education (The IIE) at IIE-Vega Cape Town’s recent graduation ceremony. Their bond grew stronger during their time living and studying together in Cape Town and both said they wouldn’t trade the experience for the world
It showed how much our lecturers cared, and it spoke to our closeness as a community”. She keeps her Pencil Award on her desk at home as a daily motivator while studying for her IIE Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Strategic Brand Management (Distance) through IIE-Vega.
Born a year apart, the sisters have always been close - a bond that grew stronger during their time living and studying together in Cape Town. “It’s been a huge privilege to study alongside my sister. We’re very close and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world,” said Juliet.
Jemma’s passion for design sparked at a young age – influenced by her mother who is also an Interior Designer. “I fell in love with the use of colour and the consideration of spatial layout. I knew that IIE-Vega would give me the best foundation to succeed,” said Jemma who is working as an Interior Designer at The Sourcing Lab at Old Cape Quarter.
“I was fortunate to get a job soon after completing my studies. My plan is to work hard and continue growing in the industry – it truly is a blessing”.
Juliet, who always had an interest in business, originally considered a finance degree. “I went to career counsellor Professor Zak Nel for career testing and he encouraged me to explore branding and strategy. When I learnt that IIE-Vega specialised in branding, I signed up and I’ve never looked back,” said Juliet.
She’s now a Marketing intern at Capitec Bank at their headquarters in Cape Town – a one year internship that could become a permanent role. “My goal is to become a marketing lead and one day a Manager. I first heard about the internship through Jerry Harck-Turner (Head of Student Experience at IIE-Vega Cape Town) who, along with my family, encouraged me to apply,” said Juliet.
While the sisters enjoyed a healthy sense of competition during their time at IIE-Vega Cape Town, they were also each other’s support. “We motivated each other to work hard and supported each other through the challenges. It made for a truly memorable and unique experience. These four years have been incredibly significant for me. Juliet inspired me daily. Her work ethic was phenomenal and changed the way I approached my studies. It became less about just achieving good marks and more about commitment – attending class, showing up and pushing through, even on difficult days. This mindset translated into my professional life, where I’ve learned to consistently show up for myself,” said Jemma.
Juliet described herself and Jemma as “complete opposites”. “She’s creative and I’m strategic, but we’re each other’s number one supporters. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without her. She always helped me take breaks when I overstressed and encouraged me to get out of my shell, and I helped her with her assignments. It was a team effort. The highlight of our time at IIE-Vega Cape Town was graduating together – that was very special,” said Juliet.
Jemma described their graduation as the emotional end to a shared journey. “It felt like the end of a marathon – crossing the finishing line hand in hand. No one saw all the tears and sleepless nights, but we remembered every moment as we walked across that stage.
Their parents were there to celebrate the moment with them. “I think for all of us, it felt like a huge sigh of relief and the beginning of a new chapter,” said Jemma.
Their advice for siblings considering studying together? “Be patient with each other and to lean on one another. Be supportive with deadlines and push yourself to work harder – even when you’re tired and the goal feels far away. Trust that everything will fall into place,” said Jemma.
Juliet agreed. “Having someone that close go through it with you makes all the difference. Even with friends, it’s not the same. Living through these moments together was something I will always treasure,” said Juliet.