By Department of Marketing, Branding and Communication, University of Venda
The University of Venda (UNIVEN) is proud and excited for having two of its senior female academics, namely Dr Marizvikuru Manjoro (Senior Lecturer, Institute for Rural Development) and Prof Makondelele Makatu (Department of Psychology) admitted into the Africademics Scholarship Ambassador 2022 programme. They are part of a cohort of 2022 of 93 ambassadors drawn from 21 African countries. What makes this achievement even sweeter is that they were selected through a rigorous selection process from a pool of about 300 African applicants based in and outside the continent.
The Africademics Scholarship Ambassador Programme is a growing network established in 2019. It is a five month-long training opportunity designed to equip the Ambassadors with skills and competences that enable them become part of an international team of volunteer academic scholarship advisors and mentors. The goal of the programme is to assist scholars to search for relevant opportunities, and apply and secure scholarships that advance academic growth and development. Mentorship of scholars on the nature of available scholarships, and where and how to find as well as acquire them are crucial to meeting the mandates of higher education. Central to this is the need to enhance student progress and success, produce the designated target number of graduates per year, and contribute to the knowledge economy.
The programme is a volunteer-driven global network, which is in sync with the attributes of both Dr Manjoro and Prof Makatu. Among their special attributes are love and hunger for learning, kindness and humility, which are reflected in their insatiable appetite for helping and caring for others, and enthusiasm for co-learning, including sharing knowledge and skills freely.
“Participating in the programme is relevant and likely to have a significantly high positive impact in the Institute for Rural Development where I coordinate the PhD in Rural Development programme”, Dr Manjoro argues. Moreover, it is already evident that her participation in the Africademics Scholarship Ambassador Programme will enhance her abilities to train and mentor postgraduate students, Postdoctoral Fellows and junior academic staff. Prof Makatu contends that the programme will make her a better and more seasoned senior academic, besides enhancing her mentoring and co-learning capabilities.
This article was originally published by the University of Venda on 19 April 2022. Read the original article here: https://www.univen.ac.za/news/univen-female-academics-admitted-into-the-africademics-scholarship-ambassador-programme/
