Scholarship Winner Full of Praise for Parents’ Support

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The recipient of the College of Law and Management Studies Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship, Ms Tahiya Essa, credits her parents for instilling in her the importance of ‘pursuing one’s passions’.

She says with the support of her mom and dad, Mr Yusuf and Mrs Yasmin Essa, she excelled academically, growing up with her four siblings in an environment filled with love and inspiration.

A second-year Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting student, Essa’s passion for numbers and accounting led her to initially study actuarial science. However, after realising that it wasn’t the right fit for her, she made the brave decision to pursue her passion in accounting.

‘Deciding what to study was probably one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. Every degree sounded enticing and advantageous to study. I flourished in subjects involving numbers and accounting but was still completely confused about what my path should be after school,’ she said.

Sharing her excitement on receiving the scholarship, Essa said: ‘This is proof that respect is not earned based on the difficulty level of your degree but on the hard work and sacrifices made in studying for any Higher Education qualification.

‘Being awarded this scholarship is proof that hard work really does pay off and my determination and perseverance did not go unnoticed. It has given me motivation to continue,’ she added.

Essa, whose passion for working with numbers has been evident throughout her academic journey, hopes to become a Chartered Accountant (CA) and work at a top firm in South Africa.

Words: Sibonginkosi Mabika

Photograph: Albert Hirasen