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Student-turned-lecturer among the many new master’s graduates

24 February 2021 | Story NONSINDISO QWABE | Photo Supplied

LEBOm_web read more — Business Management Lecturer, Lebohang Masoabi, who received her MA in Business Management at the February virtual graduation ceremony.

Student-turned-lecturer at the University of Free State (UFS), Lebohang Masoabi, has experienced the best of both worlds. Masoabi, a Business Management Lecturer on the Qwaqwa Campus, received her MA degree with specialisation in Business Management during the ceremony for master’s and doctoral degrees on 24 February 2021.

She obtained both her BA Corporate Marketing and Communication and BAHons in Business Management degrees from the UFS.

I found my passion and remembered why I started

Masoabi knows a little about delays not being denials, because what was initially supposed to be a two-year qualification took her five years to complete. “It’s been a long journey, and I really have been through a lot to get to this point. Along the way, I lost hope and was ready to give up, but I remembered why I started. Being an academic has always been a dream of mine, and I want to be the best at that, so I remembered that this was my dream, something that I love.”

“Passing on the knowledge that I have learned from this very university is incredible. I think we are one of the most awesome institutions, and I say this with confidence – having been a student myself, and now as an employee of this institution. At one point I was on the receiving end and knowledge was transferred to me, and now I am on the other side transferring that very same knowledge. Now that I am here, I want more. I see myself becoming Professor Lebohang Masoabi one day,” she said.

Entrepreneurship education necessary for students

Masoabi’s study focused on the role of entrepreneurship education on the attitudes and intentions of university students. She said when she came up with the topic of the study, one of her concerns was that many students studying entrepreneurship did not know what to do with their degrees beyond university, while students in other streams who went on to start businesses after getting their qualifications, lacked the skill and know-how. Her study found that entrepreneurship education had a positive influence on the intentions of students who had entrepreneurship background.

“Entrepreneurship teaches you to cultivate unique skills and to think out of the box. It creates opportunities, which is necessary in a country like ours. If students are given the skills and background of entrepreneurship – with the right opportunities and confidence they get from us as lecturers – they are able to influence their surroundings,” she said.

Master’s degree a message of hope

Masoabi is currently pursuing her PhD in social entrepreneurship, and said her focus was on becoming an expert in the field. “Part of why I started this journey was because of the hope that was given to me as a student at the UFS, the hope that I can be whatever I want to be. This master’s degree is my message of hope to someone looking at my life.”

News Archive

SA women’s Hockey players give a recount of Hockey World League

2015-07-02

Nicole Walraven and Liné Malan
Photo: Hatsu Mphatsoe

Three of the star players of Kovsies Hockey formed part of the South African Women’s Hockey team, which competed at the Hockey World League (HWL) tournament in Spain.

Hatsu Mphatsoe, student assistant at the Department of Communication and Brand Management, spoke to Nicole Walraven and Liné Malan. Tanya Britz will be returning only at a later stage to South Africa.

As key players in the Kovsies women’s team, Malan and Walraven (along with Britz) have a new wealth of knowledge that could assist the team in their forthcoming USSA tournament. Here are some of the sentiments they had to share:

What was your reaction when you first received the news that you’d be representing the country in Spain?

Liné: “It was a shock to me, I honestly didn’t expect it. At the same time, I was extremely excited to be granted the opportunity to represent my country, and prove my worth to the team.”

Nicole: “I was so excited and felt honoured! To represent my country at such a big tournament is amazing. I was very nervous, but excited.”

How has playing at an international level improved your personal performance and mentality of the game/sport?

Nicole: “Playing at such a high level has helped my hockey immensely. It has helped me read the game better, it has upped my self-confidence, and it has also improved my ability to deal with pressure.”

Liné: “Playing at an international level looks much easier than it is. It is a much faster game, the pressure on the ball is much higher, and the individual skills are on a different level. It has helped me to lift my game, and make decisions much quicker. It has honestly benefitted me as an individual, and I’ve learnt so much from the experience.”

Now that you’ll be going to play at the USSA tournament, what new perspectives do you wish to bring to the team in order to improve its overall performance there?

Nicole: “The importance of teamwork as well as adapting the game plan according to the situation and the opposition. Constant hard work and a never-give-up attitude are vital. One quote that stood out from the tournament is ‘1MT, 1MT’ which stands for ‘1 More Thing, 1 More Time’.

Liné: “Going to USSA, I now have a better understanding of what pressure is, and how to make better decisions. We will still make use of our Kovsies brand of Hockey, which is our passing game, and apply all aspects to the best of our ability.”

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