This began a joyous celebration of the students four years at TSiBA. TSiBA’s Managing Director Leigh Meinert presented each student’s story and journey to the audience, before they were handed over to be capped by the institution’s Academic Director Adri Marais. Many a tear was shed as each of the eight graduates resplendent in their gowns and caps walked on stage. When Adri Marais addressed the gathering, she implored the graduates to live the values that TSiBA had imparted them during their studies. She recalled their journeys of hard work, deep learning, joyful memories, the loss of a fellow student, and their internships at different companies in South Africa and abroad, their personal growth and how far they had come from the very first days at TSiBA’s then campus in Mowbray.
She called on them to mostly remember to “Pay it forward”. “TSiBA has given you a lot in your four years here now is the time to go back and plough back into your communities and pay it forward”, she said. After receiving their congratulations and degree certificates, the graduates and the audience listened intently to a keynote address given by entrepreneur Shingai Ngara who served on the Academic Advisory Council for TSiBA for a number of years. Ngara recalled the success of Barack Obama, whom he said after completing his studies, chose not to earn loads of money, but went back to work as a community organizer in the south side of Chicago. Ngara also strongly implored the graduates to do the same, “Make a change in your communities and the world”, he said.
TSiBA’s graduation was a historic moment not only because it was the very first one but also because it sets the beginnings of traditions for future graduations. “This is a particularly proud moment for our institution,” said Marais “TSiBA is thrilled with the hard work and dedication that our graduates have put in to come this far.” After the ceremony, the Academic procession, staff and audience rose and formed a guard of honour for the new graduates as the walked proudly out of the hall. -Ends-Embargo Date: NoneContact Details: Name: Juliet MdluliCompany: The Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA)Phone: 021 532 2750 x 104Email: juliet@tsiba.org.zaWebsite: www.tsiba.org.za