Up until now, Erin Watt was best known as the overachieving daughter of the legendary Rockets lead guitarist, Jerry Watt. Over the weekend however, she came into her own when she received the Brian Seymour Award which acknowledged her as South Africa’s top final year pharmacy student.
The award itself is the most prestigious for a South African pharmacy student and was created in 1967 by The Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (PSSA) Kwa-Zulu Natal Coastal Branch. (The PSSA is one of the main bodies representing the country’s pharmacy students and professionals). The winner is chosen based on academic excellence, leadership qualities and enthusiasm for the pharmacy profession. Throughout her young life, Erin has indeed shown all those qualities and more.
When she was still in school, Erin participated in various sports and cultural activities in addition to being a prefect both in primary and high school. She was the President of Interact Outreach Committee at Edgemead High school and she received academic colours and honours as well as service awards and the Simon Hughes Memorial Award (for making a difference at Edgemead High). She also served as a Youth leader in church and when she matriculated, she did so in style, with an ‘A’ aggregate.
Continuing on her quest for academic excellence at the University of the Western Cape, she received ‘A’ Aggregates in each year of study. However, let’s not get too excited, because if your parents aren’t rich, there is always a hurdle to overcome.
By 2017, she had already completed two years of study and was about to begin the third. Despite her outstanding academic performance, when she applied for a bursary, she was rejected. Her parents fall into that category of South Africans that do not have enough money for the heavy cost of education, but are considered “too rich” to get bursaries. Erin’s mother, Alison, can confirm that they are nowhere near ‘too rich’. Yes, they worked hard to make sure that their kids has a good education, food on the table and a safe roof to sleep under, but this did not make them rich. With three kids, all of them studying and all of them needing money, it was a bit of a struggle. Luckily for Erin, her father is Jerry Watt, longstanding member and leader of the popular, award winning band, ‘The Rockets’.
Not willing to fail their daughter, they sprang into action, organising three fundraising concerts and roping in their celebrity friends which included Shaleen Surtie-Richards and Suidooster’s Cedwyn Joel. Three sold-out shows later, they managed to raise the much needed R40 000 for her fees and study material. Erin admits that being rejected for a bursary left her feeling helpless. She states however that it also made her stronger and more capable of handling tough situations when it comes her way.
Still continuing on her path to academic excellence, Erin completed her 3rd and 4th year of study and graduated Summa Cum Laude (which in Latin means, “the highest distinction). Of the 33 modules she completed, she attained 24 distinctions.
In 2018, she received UWC’s Dean’s Merit Award and she was honoured by the Pharmaceutical Society’s Western Cape branch as its top 4th Year student. She also received a Service Award (2017/18) from the University of the Western Cape Association of Pharmacy Students, where she served as its Community Projects Officer. She is currently doing an internship at a hospital in Cape Town as a prerequisite to register as a pharmacist.
Erin credits her parents as well as her faith for keeping her on the right track during the most difficult periods of her life. She says that she, along with her two brothers, were also encouraged to do their best and never stop believing in themselves. She is especially thankful for her mom, Alison, for always being the rock of the family during those times when her entertainer dad could not be at home. The Rockets is often on the road for months on end, both nationally and internationally, and although it was difficult, Alison always made sure that the family remained strong. Both Jerry and Alison did a seemingly excellent job given that all of their 3 children are doing well in life. Not only is their daughter the top pharmacy student in the country, but their eldest child, Damon, recently graduated with a degree in accounting and their youngest, Aidan, is currently in his first year as a Bachelor of Science Information Technology student. Erin says that she is also grateful for the support she received from her boyfriend as well as the staff at the university’s School of Pharmacy.
For those that are considering doing a pharmacy degree, she advises them that if they are going to succeed, they must make sure that they enjoy the natural and physical sciences. It is a tough course that requires of you to make a lot of sacrifices because you will need to master complicated subjects like mathematics, physics, human biology, chemistry and pharmacology, amongst others. She also advises that you should have a balanced approach to studying. Yes, you should study hard but also take the time to relax and enjoy your youth.
When asked what her plans are for the future, Erin responds with the following quote from Dr. Maya Angelou: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour and some style.” And yes, it is indeed the case, that when the ‘A’ aggregate overachieving daughter of Jerry and Alison Watt received her award on that hot night in Durban, she did so with ‘some style’ and much more.
Note: A very special thanks to Erin for taking the time to answer our questions and an even more special thanks to Jerry for putting us into contact with Alison and to Alison for making sure that everything went according to plan.