Zim students conquer Texas
AS AFRICA attempts to stake its claim on the world economy, education that sheds light on global economics and markets becomes more important. This has seen Zimbabwean students go to study abroad and then returning with the objective of developing their country.
Surprisingly the US, which is leading in technological innovations such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Dell, among others, has not been high on the list of Zimbabwean students.
Dean of the Huston-Tilloston (HT) School of Business and Technology, Dr Steven Edmond, wants that to change, for all the Zimbabwean students that have come to the institution, which is in Austin, Texas, have excelled in their studies, even gaining traction on the competitive US employment market.
Barney Mutumha, a young Zimbabwean who studied Accounting at HT, feels that the minority element of the university, which is one of the 104 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), helped him to settle down.
“At HT I felt at home the first day I arrived on campus, I was surrounded with a lot of people from diverse backgrounds, with a lot who look like me,” he says, with a grin.
And Mutumha feels that the US education system is not rigid, but places more emphasis on one following their dreams, which saw him doing Accounting yet he had done sciences at A-Level in Zimbabwe
“At HT I studied Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting, and studying in the HT opened up my mind to new ways of thought and new methods of processing ideas and information that I had never been exposed to.
“The liberal arts education allows one to fully explore different career paths and fields of study. Having studied Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry in high school in Zimbabwe, I wouldn’t have imagined getting a degree in accounting under a British system,” Mutumha, who is an intern at Texas Certified Development Company, says.
And Dr Edmond purrs as he talks about Zimbabwean HT students over the years.
“All of the Zimbabwean students who have attended HT during the 17 years that I have been at the University have chosen the disciplines of accounting and computer science. This means that they were in my academic unit, the School of Business and Technology, so I have first-hand knowledge of their school performances. And we are in Austin, Texas, which is one of the technology hubs of the United States.
“Most of these students earned perfect marks (100%) during their four years at HT. None earned marks of less than 89%. All of the faculty members have said that the Zimbabwean students are a joy to have in the classroom. They are hungry for knowledge and ask great questions. They are well disciplined at all times – both inside and outside the classroom,” Dr Edmond says.
After completing undergraduate studies at HT, students get a shot at other graduate universities in the United States that provide scholarships, and such partnerships include the University of Texas at Austin, Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama, and Bentley University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Rufaro Mukahadzi, who graduated with a degree in Accounting from HT and is now working in the Treasury department at ERCOT (Electric Council of Texas), made history when she became the first HT student in 20 years to pass the Certified Public Accountant exam. “I pursued a Master’s in Professional Accounting degree at the Number One-ranked Accounting University in the US; at The University of Texas at Austin where I represented 2 (two) percent of Africans and African-Americans. HT provided a foundation for me to have been able to get accepted and graduate from such a prestigious school,” she says.
But Dr Edmond is never one to be outdone.
“Rufaro, after receiving the Master’s degree in Public Accountancy from the University of Texas at Austin, was the first HT student to pass the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam in over 20 years,” he says with a wink.
The affable Dr Edmond, who despite his diminutive stature has a warm countenance that lights up the whole room, beams at thought of another record-breaking Zimbabwean student, Sammy Mudede.
“Sammy Mudede from Zimbabwe was the first in HT University’s 142-year history to have received the master’s degree in Software Engineering from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University,” Dr Edmond gushes.
And Mudede has been snapped up by Texas-based computer manufacturing giant, Dell.
“I am now employed at Dell as a Software Senior Engineer, developing Microsoft Windows software applications for Dell consumer laptop and desktop products.
“My career aspirations are to continue to sharpen my software and technology product development abilities and widen my corporate influence as I climb higher up that career journey ladder,” says Mudede.
The Zimbabwean trio also said that they had been awarded scholarships at HT for them to complete their studies.
Mutumha, Mudede and Mukahadzi received full academic scholarship for four years at the Dubois Honors Program. There are also other grants that one can apply for.
Mudede wants to extend the red carpet to African-Americans in the US and Zimbabweans too.
“I’m also very passionate about giving back to the community by empowering the youth, specifically through increasing their awareness of education and possible career opportunities in the sciences. I am also involved in an educational non-profit, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), here in the US and I plan to now make a similar concentrated effort for my young brothers and sisters back in Zimbabwe, so watch the space!”, Mudede says.
And Mutumha also has advice for Zimbabwe students.
“If you would like to study in the US I would encourage you to take the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) or GMAT (for graduate school) Take these tests seriously as they are used to screen students,” Mutumha says. Dr Edmond looks up. “I want more Zimbabwean students at HT in accounting and computer sciences, we have the conditions for them to succeed here,” said Dr Edmond. ◆ Abel Dzobo is a Zimbabwean who is currently at the University of Texas at Austin, under the Mandela Washington Fellowship. Feedback: abeldzobo@gmail.com