Stephen Quantrill / GSB MBA ’94, Executive Chairman of McRae Investments // I’m a huge supporter of the enrichment and stretch of the GSB experience – including the foundation the MBA provides your career and the bonds and friendships that endure. The GSB MBA is a dynamic melting pot for extending and understanding yourself better and gaining skills in teamwork and symbiosis; it is a vibrant proxy for demanding board and management environments later. The academic programme is intense and deliberately designed around teamwork, and I’d urge students to give more than they take – putting in 150% while encouraging your team’s high performance in a high-pressure environment are critical skills for success. In my experience, people that go on to do better than others also learn early that they don’t have all the skills and knowledge. So it’s about learning and understanding how other people’s contributions can improve your own success, and you can benefit theirs. As a business leader, you learn to value that people see things differently, so you adapt to listen better and make more robust decisions together.
Mukona Khalushi / GSB PGDip ’17 and member of the GSB Alumni Board, PGDip Subcommittee // I wanted the PGDip fundraising to be more effective and realised that it’s a bigger job – you need more ideas and a committed team. That’s how the idea of the alums subcommittee started. You need PGDip alums who relate to the course and the outcome of the course, who get together with others just as excited to be joining forces. I know what the PGDip did for me – it helped me see myself beyond my limit, it helped me grow as a leader, I’m more visionary now. Yeah, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Fundraising is about community; it gives people the opportunity to invest in others, impact other people’s lives and go beyond where they can reach. There could be someone who is going online right now, they want to study for a PGDip but don’t have the funds. Having an option of financial aid still motivates them to apply – so if there are funds available, that is an opportunity for that individual.
Vishal Patel / GSB MBA student 2022 and GSB Foundation scholar // I knew full-heartedly that I wanted to go to the GSB, so when I received the email that I got the scholarship, I was beaming with joy that I actually could attend the school I wanted to go to, come down to Cape Town and to fully immerse myself in this experience. The one thing I was amazed about when I came to the GSB – and I kind of heard stories about it but never put much thought into it – is that the alumni network is very strong. It is incredible how willing GSB alumni are to step up to the plate and say, “Listen, I’ll be keen to participate.” or “How can I help?”. The school is the best on the African continent, but it’s also this rich body of people who are willing to interact, share and help. So knowing that I’m part of a bigger network out there that takes my MBA journey and brings it post-MBA, that’s quite exciting and I’m looking forward to it.
Reyna Singh / GSB MBA ‘18/19, Owner and Director of NG Global Energy Solutions // In 2019, I was quite fortunate in that the GSB gave me a scholarship to complete my final year of the modular MBA. This was a huge help – my business was just an idea, I was in between jobs and my first year was funded on a student loan. Since then, it’s always been at the back of my mind to return that amazing favour and give back when the opportunity arises. This year, our business luckily has the capacity to give back and we made a donation to the Foundation. What do I wish for the person benefiting from our donation? Fully embrace the programme and make the most of it. Enjoy it. Engage with others, collaborate, learn. Use the knowledge you gain to make an impact. For me, it’s all good and well that you have this knowledge and education, but what are you doing to make a difference? Make an impact with what you have learned on the programme.
Shadi Lekgoathi / GSB MBA student 2021 and GSB Foundation scholar // I’ve had quite a number of opportunities to work abroad. After my training in accounting, I went to New York for three months. During that time, I missed everything about home – the sound of the birds, the hooting of taxis and just how we as people interact. I was making good money, but it didn’t hit home for me. I knew then that – in terms of establishing myself and my career – it’s definitely going to be in Africa. Yes, we have a lot of issues, but there isn’t anyone coming to save us. If we want to see a better continent, a better country, we need to start taking the initiative and make an effort to contribute. I think we are very, very capable if we just look deeper. We understand our problems far better than anyone from abroad. We live here – who is in a better position to address the issues?
The students of the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) MBA class 2022 have accomplished a remarkable milestone… Read More
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