Mom-of-One, Diligent Professor & Loving Wife: Meet Africa’s Youngest PhD Graduate Who Recently Became a Prof

• Africa’s youngest PhD holder, Musawenkosi Donia Saurombe, is now an associate professor at the University of Johannesburg
• In addition to slaying as an academic, the young woman is also a doting momma and loving wife
• The diligent prof has accomplished so much in her life and believes in empowering young women of colour who are aspirant academics

In 2017, at the tender age of 23, Musawenkosi Donia Saurombe became the youngest PhD holder in Africa, bagging her doctoral degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology from North-West University (NWU).

Now, while still in her twenties, the accomplished academic has recently been promoted to the position of Associate Professor at the University of Johannesburg.

While she has accomplished so much in academia, Musawenkosi also has a great love of family and is a mother-of-one and a wife.

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Talking to Briefly News, the Johannesburg-based prof reflects on the journey she encountered on the road to becoming a respected academic.

Musawenkosi had a humble upbringing

The academic was born in Zimbabwe and spent her formative years in Gaborone, Botswana, with her father working as an educator while her mother cared for the kids and household:

“I come from humble beginnings, although I cannot say I was at the lowest end of the ‘struggle’ continuum as I never had to go to bed hungry, nor was I ever destitute.

“Our father taught in private schools where primarily the affluent could afford to send their children. My siblings and I studied via his staff benefit, and as a result, the social-class discrepancies between ourselves and other learners at school were very evident.”

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The good prof notes that her parents inspired her love of education, since her mother also worked as a teacher for a short period:

“Of greatest value to me is how they taught me that even as a girl child, I could acquire the greatest heights of education possible if I put my heart and mind to it.”

The University of Johannesburg academic originally wanted to be a medical doctor

Musawenkosi fondly notes that her family members called her ‘Dr Musa’ when she was younger, and she had hopes of pursuing medicine at university:

“I was good at science and loved the idea of earning that ‘Dr’ title.

“Little did any of us know at the time that while it was indeed in my blueprint to one day become a doctor, I would become a Doctor of Philosophy rather than a medical professional.”

The supermom explains that towards the end of her high school career, she realised that medicine was not her calling; a notion that took her parents by surprise:

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“I ultimately decided to pursue a commercial course but was still unsure of what exactly."

Since the talented young woman was undecided about which career path to choose, her parents helped her select possible courses to pursue, with economics, accounting, and human resource management the three study areas she applied for.

Briefly News previously wrote that at 16, Musawenkosi went on to study human resource management at NWU, obtaining her degree at 19.

At the ages of 20 and 21, respectively, she then bagged her honours and master’s degrees, later obtaining her PhD in Industrial and Organisational Psychology at the same institution.

The prof uses her position to empower young women of colour

Musawenkosi alludes that being a lecturer and research supervisor affords her the opportunity to make young ladies aware of the importance of capitalising on opportunities they are presented with.

However, the prof notes that as a black female, she still finds herself being underestimated in academia at times, especially because of her age.

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But despite all the challenges she faces, the inspiring researcher continues to excel as an academic, while having a family of her own to nurture.

Musawenkosi advises young women who want to be academics and have families to be careful about whom they marry and get into relationships with, as this decision could have a huge impact on their careers:

“Also, ladies, believe in yourselves. You are magnificent, capable, worthy, and good enough. If no one ever told you this growing up, start making an effort to convince yourself of it and live it!”

Limpopo woman goes from being typist clerk to senior lecturer, PhD graduate from University of Venda

Meanwhile, in another story, Briefly News also wrote about an inspiring lady from Limpopo who worked her way up from being a typist clerk to a senior lecturer at the University of Venda.

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Nyawasedza Phellecy Lavhelani only had matric and computer certificates when she started working at the institution and now holds an entire PhD. The determined woman also uses her role to inspire young aspiring academics.

Source: Briefly News