Alumni on the move: Education, excellence and empowerment

After working for 15 years in various entry level to managerial positions at a commercial bank, Ms Veronica Ngobeni decided it was time for change.

In 2017, she had a strong desire to enhance her career with a tertiary qualification and staying near the SPU Central Campus, the university offered her access to tertiary education which she had longed for. And when the opportunity to study full-time presented itself, she grabbed it with both hands.

“In hindsight, I am content with that decision because it set me free to realize other goals.” It was during this time that Ms Ngobeni decided to enroll as a fulltime student and SPU was an obvious choice, “I experienced SPU as an institution that provides the necessary support to respond to a student’s needs, academically and otherwise”, she said.

Born and raised in a small town, Douglas, in the Northern Cape, Ms Ngobeni attended primary school at Vaal-Oranje Primary School in Breipaal, Douglas, while staying with her siblings at her grandparent’s house. She started her high school career at Hoerskool Weslaan and matriculated at Dr Blok SSS in Bloemfontein. Although she had various studies through Unisa she was unable to complete a formal qualification and informed by experience and exposure in the financial sector, she took on a new challenge to study towards her Bachelor of Commerce at SPU.

“I was fortunate to progress throughout my work life, occupying positions with higher authority purely based on acquired skills, performance, and experience. That has changed, qualification is required for even entry level positions hence education has become fashionable. A qualification is testimony of your capability to invest in yourself and speaks life to the desire to be a lifelong learner”, says Ms Ngobeni.

One of her highlights at SPU was that she was awarded a Merit Bursary during her first year of study. She displayed immense hard work and dedication throughout her studies and the excellent academic results were evident of diligence and perseverance. But like many other students faced the demands and responsibilities as a full-time student and in addition being a parent to her young son.

She said, “I enjoyed being part of the SPU student community. They are a caring, understanding, and close-knit social circle complimented by impeccable academic and student support, and I may have been the oldest student in the class but the youngest at heart, that’s for sure. We shared laughter, conversations, disappointments, and our achievements”. She adds that she will always remain grateful for the support she received at SPU.

During her academic career at SPU, she also delved into her love for sport and joined the SPU tennis team and participated in the annual University Sports South Africa (USSA) tennis events. She regularly meets and plays with the university’s tennis coach and students at the local tennis club.

Ms Ngobeni is currently a Private Wealth Banker at a prestigious bank in the Northern Cape, responsible for a portfolio of affluent personal clients. Her role includes building and maintaining professional business relationships across a portfolio of private wealth clients and improving customer experience within the financial institution’s risk, regulatory and compliance frameworks. She believes that your attitude matters and that you must continuously amplify your personal brand. “Keep it positive, don’t take yourself too seriously and remember you are never too old to work at realising your goals and ambitions. Through perseverance, many succeed against all odds”, she says.

 

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