Tête-à-tête with UZAA Chairman, Arthur Manase
ARTHUR Johnson Manase, the high-flying General Manager of who has
NSSA won multiple leadership awards, was recently elected Chairman of the University of Zimbabwe Alumni Association. We caught up with him to find out more about UZAA and what he plans to achieve during his tenure.
Question: Congratulations on your recent appointment as Chairman of the UZAA. Who are some of the other alumni who will serve with you on this council?
Answer: Thank you, it is truly a great honour for me to be able to give back to the University in this capacity and I would not have asked for a better team to help me with this extraordinary responsibility.
The council consists of Mrs Mandas Marikanda (CEO — Women Microfinance Bank) who is the Vice-Chairperson, Mr Philimon Squire (Bank Manager — CABS) the Treasurer, Mr David Mutemachani (Managing Director — Kamau Real Estate Partners) the Secretary and Mr Enock Mandizadza (UZ, Faculty of Social Studies and Behavioural Sciences) as the Council Spokesperson.
There also are various executives based in Zimbabwe and all over the world who sit as committee members and representatives, including Dr Joy Mutare Fashu Kanu (Adjunct Professor – Portland State University) who is the Representative in the Americas North and South, Pacific and Atlantic Islands and Mr Douglas Mboweni, Chief Executive Officer of Econet who chairs the Technology Transfer Committee.
UZAA
Question: Please explain what is all about?
Answer:
The University of Zimbabwe Alumni Association (UZAA) is a professional body comprising professionals across various fields who have passed through the great halls of the University of Zimbabwe and are committed to supporting the university that they recognise as having played an integral role in the brilliant men and women they are today. The mission of the association is “to be a part of the University of Zimbabwe by engaging and involving alumni in the life, promotion and advancement of the University”.
Question: How are members of the Alumni Association giving back to the University community?
Answer:
UZAA takes pride in supporting the university and the scope of assistance that alumni can offer is limitless. UZAA members play a part of offering bursaries and scholarships to current students, internships, graduate traineeships, student attachments, staff and student exchange, refurbishment and development of student accommodation facilities, grants, endowments and donations, among many others. Any form of assistance an alumni member can imagine can be provided to the UZ community through UZAA.
Question: Who qualifies to be a member of UZAA?
Answer: Firstly, UZ graduates are strongly encouraged to join the Alumni Association to add to the rich pool of Alumni that we have. They will bring with them their expertise from their respective fields and this will be of immense benefit to the entire Association. There is also room for various members of the society who may not have gained their academic qualifications from UZ
who agree with the objectives of UZAA
and are committed to supporting its programmes and activities to take on Partner Membership as outlined in the Association Constitution.
Question: How has being a part of the Alumni Association benefitted
UZ you in your professional journey from a university graduate to the position you hold today?
Answer:
The vast professional networks I have built since my days in university have proven extremely helpful in my career thus far. The friendships built have helped strengthen my capabilities and the forums have provided sound counsel. UZAA also provides opportunities for favourable conditions, including discounts, when accessing University of Zimbabwe academic and professional development activities such as workshops, webinars and further studies at postgraduate or doctoral levels.
Question: What is the value of networking with fellow Alumni?
Building a solid network is invaluable and having one straight out of university is even better. From a pool of classmates could emerge CEOs and other top executives and these invaluable relationships can be leveraged to boost a professional career. It is much harder to build these connections when you are right at the top and so the best time and place to do that is from university by joining an Alumni Association and building your network from the bottom up.
Question: What are some of the greatest challenges being faced by the UZAA?
Answer: The Alumni culture here in Zimbabwe has not been as strong as it is in other countries across the world, so, that together with the poor record keeping in the past and the dispersal of graduates
UZ all over the world, it has proven to be a challenge to identify the alumni and fold them into the activities of the association. The economic conditions prevalent in the country also make it difficult for both the university and its alumni to carry out programmes in the best possible manner.
Question: The Vision of the Alumni Association is “to enrich the lives of alumni by helping them establish lifelong, meaningful and valued relationships with UZ and with each other”. How would you evaluate UZAA in carrying out its vision?
Answer: For those that have taken full advantage of the Alumni Association and what it has to offer, they have most definitely eaten and enjoyed the fine fruit that is produced here. As a professional who left university many years ago, to see yourself still being involved in it, along with your fellow peers, bears testament to the quality of relationships that were built during our time at UZ and how those relationships have translated into our professional lives. I’m sure I don’t only speak for myself, but for other members of the Alumni Association in saying that the family has continued
UZ to be a core aspect of my life even after so many years and that goes to show how the Association is faithfully carrying out its vision and will continue to do so for years to come.
Question: Do you have any words of advice to a university student or a recent university graduate?
Answer:
Build and invest in the relationships with your peers during your university days. Many of the greatest establishments and businesses in our country and the world at large today are all products, both directly and indirectly, of these relationships and it would be foregoing such a valuable resource to not make the most of these years and the years to come just strengthening your network. To all former University of Zimbabwe students please join this Alumni Association and actively participate in our programmes. We depend on you to work hard to ensure that the University of Zimbabwe, which we all love dearly, retains its status as a world class provider of quality education to Zimbabweans.