Dedicated Unisans bag prestigious scholarships

Despite the harsh reality of lockdown and the number of COVID-19 cases, which continues to escalate, there is still some good news for some young people in academia.

Six doctoral students from Unisa’s Department of Information Science were recently presented with scholarships to further their PhD studies.

The grants were awarded by the National Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS), as well as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

Mashilo Modiba

The scholarship programmes are based on merit, and aims to financially support young people, who are academic performers, but do not have the means to fund their studies.

Among the recipients is Mashilo Modiba, who received the NIHSS-SAHUDA Doctoral Scholarship.

“I feel so honoured to have been granted this prestigious award by the NIHSS. The scholarship will indeed assist me to complete my PhD research project, without any financial difficulties,” he said.

Modiba added that, although it is daunting to do a PhD without funding, this should not stop those who aspire to further pursue their studies.

“There are different funds in place, which accommodate every student in the system. So, there is no excuse not to pursue a PhD degree through Unisa,” said Modiba.

Makutla Mojapelo

Another recipient, Makutla Mojapelo, stated that he gets his motivation from the people around him, especially his colleagues, who remain a source of inspiration for him.

“Being surrounded by a team of academics, who are consistently recognised for outstanding contributions within the academia and their profession, keeps me going. I find myself in a circle of people who do not tolerate mediocrity, which has prompted me to reflect on myself as an academic,” Mojapelo said.

Mojapelo hails from the rural village of Ga-Molepo, outside Polokwane, in Limpopo, and is extremely grateful for the opportunity provided by the NIHSS-SAHUDA and the International Council on Archives (ICA).

Mojapelo remarked: “These accomplishments demonstrate that every effort academics and professionals make is not in vain. The reality is that we live in a competitive world, where resources are never enough to cater for everyone, however, this should not deter us from knocking on doors in search for opportunities.” He added: “Without the assistance of organisations such as NIHSS and ICA, the academic journey can be long and exhausting.”

Other recipients include Lungile Luthuli (NHSS), Nozuko Langa (NHSS), Kabelo Chuma (NIHSS), Mandisa Msomi (DSI-CSIR Inter-Bursary Support) and Mahlatse Shekgola (ARMA- International Educational Foundation Scholarship).

Congratulations Information Sciences Unisans! #WinningSoATeam

*By Tebogo Mahlaela, Communication and Marketing Specialist, School of Human Sciences