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By: Mo Senne (Senior Communications Officer)
The journey through Rhodes University is more than just a path toward a degree; it is a profound process of transformation, leadership, and community impact. For members of the Student Representative Council (SRC), the graduation stage marks the culmination of years spent balancing rigorous academics with the demands of student governance and social responsibility.
This year's ceremony marks a significant milestone for student leadership, as 16 SRC members, both current and past, are set to graduate. Demonstrating a deep commitment to academic excellence alongside their activism, 8 of these leaders are obtaining postgraduate degrees, including Lona Mazindla, who is currently an MA student.
The Journey of Becoming: Personal Growth and Resilience
For many, the University experience is defined by its unpredictability and the internal shifts that occur between the first lecture and the final ceremony. Keketso Dibakwane, the Activism and Transformation Councillor, describes this evolution as a "beautiful journey of becoming".
The academic path is rarely a straight line. Dibakwane reflects on the emotional highs and lows that students face:
"Nobody ever tells you about how crazy university will be. You will lose yourself. Think you have found yourself. Then lose yourself again. You will love your degree. Then lose your passion for it. Then find it again".
Rather than succumbing to the pressure of having a perfect plan, Dibakwane embraced the uncertainty, noting that "it’s okay not to have it figured out because university is where you actually start the process of figuring it out". This resilience was built by taking life one day at a time, one test and tutorial at a time, and one semester at a time. She graduates on the 25th of March 2026 in the morning session.
Breaking Barriers: The First-Generation Experience
For Ruvimbo Mheyamwa, the International Affairs Councillor, graduation is a milestone that carries the weight of family legacy and the challenges of navigating a foreign system. After a "hectic journey" of four years, her success serves as a breakthrough for her lineage.
Mheyamwa views her achievement through a lens of cultural and familial triumph:
"As the first female to graduate on my father’s side, I feel like I have broken family curses and fulfilled my family's prayers".
As a first-generation immigrant, she acknowledges the systemic hurdles she faced, stating, "It’s difficult to succeed in a system that was not designed for you". However, fuelled by the encouragement of her parents, John Mheyamwa and Annastasia Munyaka, she now stands as a Rhodes University graduate, an SRC member, and a political activist. She graduates on the 25th of March 2026 in the morning session.
Leadership and Service: Giving Back to the Body
Leadership at Rhodes University often starts in the residences and scales to the highest levels of student governance. Simphiwe Mnyande, known as "uMqwathi," arrived in 2022 and quickly rose through the ranks. His tenure was marked by historic support from his peers.
After serving as the SRC Residence Councillor in 2023, Mnyande was elected President of the Rhodes University SRC in only his second year, "earning the title of the highest voted for President in the history of Rhodes University". For Mnyande, leadership was an act of selfless contribution:
"My experience at Rhodes was a well-rounded one where I not only enjoyed my undergraduate years as a normal student, but I served the student body of Rhodes University, giving back more than I sought to receive".
Having completed his BSS in Economics and Political and International Studies, he continues his academic journey toward an Honours degree in Economics. He graduates on the 27th of March in the morning session.
Education as a Beacon: Community Impact
For Lona Mazindla, the 2025 Environmental Councillor and MA student, education is an outward-facing responsibility. Mazindla has spent his time at Rhodes ensuring that his personal success translates into progress for his home community.
Since his second year, he has organised extra classes for younger learners and mentored first-year students at Guy Butler House. He views his degree as a tool for social change:
"My education is not merely a personal triumph; it is a responsibility, and I have always seen it as a beacon of hope for others in my community".
Mazindla takes pride in the fact that while attending Rhodes University was once an "improbable dream," there are now three members of his community pursuing studies there—a "monumental achievement" in a place where many do not finish matric. His goal remains clear: "making education an attainable dream for others, especially the girl children in my community".
As he prepares to graduate for the third time on March 27, 2026, he reflects on a fruitful university experience that has seen him grow from a House Committee member to a Resident Student Assistant.
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These stories highlight a common thread among the SRC members: graduation is not just the end of a syllabus, but the beginning of a legacy built on resilience, service, and the breaking of glass ceilings.