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A faculty member at The Da Vinci Institute, Mixo Sweetness Sithole reflects… Unemployment continues to be a crisis in South Africa, and we should be wary about its negative effects on people and society in general. Socio-economic impacts society at the micro, meso, exo and macro levels. Melinda Du Toit, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Centre for Social Development in Africa (University of Johannesburg) indicates that, “[u]nemployment has both individual and social consequences that require public policy interventions. For the individual, unemployment can cause psychological distress, which can lead to a decline in life satisfaction. It can also lead to mood disorders and substance abuse. Unemployment can affect one’s social status ascription as well, which manifests through stigmatisation, labelling, unfair judgement, and marginalisation.” Furthermore, unemployment can result in increased crime rates, as well as socio-political unrests – as witnessed recently in South Africa. According to a recent publication by…
It’s a journey . . . that I propose . . . I am not the guide . . . nor technical assistant . . . I will be your fellow passenger . . . (A Journey – By Nikki Giovanni) Wenzel originally comes from the construction industry, where he co-created for several years. Over time, according to Wenzel, “I was afforded an opportunity to start a new venture in Europe”, and for almost two decades, I then decided that my time rather be divided between Europe and my manufacturing operation in South Africa.” In the year 2016, he reinvented himself again and decided to concentrate all his energies on a management-development consultancy. It was through and during that process that his keenness for furthering his education became palpable – The Da Vinci Institute was his first option. Then the journey began, and Wenzel kept his head high…
In women’s month we continue to showcase some of our remarkable female alumni and today we profile one of our recent Doctoral graduates – Dr Shannon Nell This work is dedicated to nursing leaders – whoever and wherever you may be. I honour you. By Dr Shannon Nell Dr Nell comes from the health fraternity and has been a nurse for four decades. She has co-created in a multitude of clinical areas, including maternity, paediatrics, adult intensive care, and paediatric oncology, as well as in nursing education. Currently, Dr Nell serves as the Director of Nursing and Nursing Education at Netcare, a position she has held for the last seven years. We salute our remarkable Davincian, for all that she has done and continues to do on the frontline in our country, giving daily of herself to the betterment of others. Besides her extensive experience, Dr Nell also holds several…
DA VINCI EVENTS
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS
Jacob Lempetje Masoeu is one of our master’s degree graduates and can be described as someone who embraces his ability to see the holism in any given situation, rather than only seeing parts or snapshots of the whole. He also believes that this is quite critical, especially if one wants to understand the patterns of influence and change, and how those could be embraced to avoid their spiralling downwards into undesired consequences. Mr Masoeu gained this outlook when he began the research journey with The Da Vinci Institute, as a master’s degree student. He states that the journey that he undertook challenged his personal views, “and the management of my personal bias towards others completely. The fact that my truth is subjective and is born out of my personal experiences and realities of things as they evolve around me opened a whole new way of thinking and reasoning to me. I now approach and respond to the views and actions of others with greater care, respect and consideration”, Mr Masoeu accords. His chosen research topic is…
A profile of our alumnus, Niradna Bechoo, who is also one of the Programme Coordinators at The Da Vinci Institute. One of Niradna’s primary roles is managing student relationships, a role she does with aplomb, as expressed by one of the BCom students who says that when speaking to Niradna, “it’s like playing upon an exquisite violin, and she responds to every touch and thrill of the bow effectively.” That is quite a metaphor for someone whose services are impeccable, accompanied by a sense of understanding of the needs of the students. Niradna has been working in the education sector for the last decade in various roles at various providers – an experience she treasures, for it has prepared her for the current role she holds at Da Vinci. Niradna is a curious being, and her passion for education has led her to become a master’s degree alumnus of The Da Vinci Institute. Her research project is titled: “Students’ perception of service quality at a private higher education institution in South Africa.” Niradna is…
(The following is a showcase from last year which was shared upon the late Mthokozisi’s completion of his master’s degree.) The great Albert Einstein once said, “Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value”, and our student Mthokozisi Ntumba is that man of value. Mr Ntumba recently completed his Master’s degree with The Da Vinci Institute – a journey, according to him, that has transformed his thinking and helped him to, “realise that my perceptions and preconceived ideas do not always reflect reality.” Mr Ntumba continues; “My journey triggered a keen appreciation of holism, integration and cooperation amongst people. It aroused a renewed appreciation of [ubuntu], which relates to deliberate cooperation amongst people. The support and energy I received from my supervisor, family, colleagues and the Da Vinci staff is unparalleled. I would not have reached the end of this journey without this kind of support,” and he is grateful for all of them. When asked about the purpose…