The Durban University of Technology (DUT) student, Nqobile Lihle Madondo graduated with Cum Laude for the Advance Diploma in Business and Information Management at the DUT Autumn Celebratory Graduation at the Royal Show Grounds in Midlands on Monday, 25 July 2022.

The 28-year-old is originally from Tugela Ferry at uMsinga.

Madondo clarified that since her childhood she had always aspired to be a business manager one day, which details why she pursued the Business and Information management studies.

When she learned about the news she was filled with so much gratitude and excitement, as she had high hopes of graduating with Cum laude since she wasn’t able to obtain it during her Diploma qualification, so this was a goal she had set her mind to accomplish, this indeed felt like a dream come true for her.

“I knew I wanted to graduate Cum Laude in Advance Diploma in Business and Information Management (BIM) because I didn’t manage to obtain it in my diploma,” explained Madondo.

Being away from home was one of the challenges she had to face, as it was her first time being away from home.

“I had never lived away from home before and I experienced severe homesickness,” shared Madondo, However, listening through the conventional lectures was sometimes difficult but she managed to handle them by focusing all her energy on her listening and taking note as it helped keep her mind busy.

Receiving the news her family was really proud, more especially her sister as she was the second person to graduate and had now motivated Madondo to follow in her footsteps and even acquire much more, and her sister was even more proud for her to be the first person in their family to graduate Cum Laude.

“My big sister (Thobekile Madondo) was so excited since I was the second person in the family to be graduated and also the first person to pass with Cum Laude,” expressed Madondo.

Onset it was her choice to pursue this qualification, “when I was young my dream was to have my own office and also to be a manager in big companies,” said Madondo.

She was exultant to receive the news about the physical graduation, as this was her first one to attend, and plans to make it memorable one to make up for the one she couldn’t attend due to Covid-19 rules and regulations.

In future she hopes to further her studies to a Doctorate Degree level and become an expert in her field and start her own business.

The graduate advised the fellow students to choose their career wisely not because they just want to get admitted to study at university, and not because of the perks that they get from NSFAS but because they are passionate about studying, to also choose their friends carefully.

Pictured: Nqobile Lihle Madondo

Photographer: Vusi Dlamini

Nonkululeko Ngcobo