Aspirant Manager Graduates Summa Cum Laude

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Hard work and the will to succeed paid off for Ms Tebogo Darlynn Mabunda who graduated with her Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree in Management summa cum laude.

Growing up in a child-headed home in which Mabunda had to care for her younger brother and her cousin from the young age of 12 - pushed her to work extra hard and be an inspiration to those around her.

Being the first person in her family to graduate from university, Mabunda says she always had opportunities to be in leadership roles from her high school days where she was selected as a class representative. Then at university, she was chosen as class representative in various modules as well as the team leader of a non-profit organisation which gave back to the children in her community.

Mabunda also co-founded a programme with her high school friends to assist matriculates in their community gain admission to a Higher Education Institution. Now she wants to use skills acquired in doing her degree to develop the programme further so it has greater impact.

‘I see myself climbing the corporate ladder and securing a managerial position in the next couple of years. I believe my degree has provided me with a stable foundation which will help me become a well-informed leader,’ she said.

‘I am very grateful to UKZN for recognising my academic achievements and awarding me with three bursaries during my studies.’

Mabunda is currently working at MANCOSA whilst pursuing a Master’s degree in Commerce and hopes to go on to do her PhD. ‘With hard work, discipline, prayer and dedication, anything is possible - I am a living testament.’

Words: Lungile Ngubelanga 

Photograph: Rogan Ward