In this digital age owning a laptop is a necessity. A laptop offers students an opportunity to work flexible hours on their assignments and projects from the comfort of their home. But for students who have a disadvantaged background, it is a "distant dream".
Since he started studying at Rhodes, hard working second year BSc student, Anele Msayi, has always wanted to own a laptop but due to his family's financial background, he was unable to attain one. Luckily, his "distant dream" was fulfilled much earlier than he expected when Eduloan handed him a brand new Hp laptop to help him unlock his academic potential.
When he first heard that he was going to receive a laptop from Eduloan, he was over the moon. "I was overwhelmed with excitement because I wasn't expecting such a tremendous award. I only believed that I was getting a laptop when I saw it being handed over to me," he says.
"I'm studying towards an Information Systems and Mathematical Statistics degree and now I don't have to do my projects in the lab anymore and I don't have to print out slides," he added.
The laptop came at the right time for Msayi when he is facing a demanding and challenging academic year. It has the latest software such as Windows 7 and he will install further software that will aid his studies.
He thanked Eduloan for acknowledging deserving and hard working students in awarding them laptops. Eduloan has awarded laptops to students in 18 of 23 institutions so far.
"Eduloan wished to provide students with an educational tool that would assist them to further their studies and help continue unlocking their potential. The digital age is very much part of our daily lives and we hoped by providing laptops we could assist students in taking full advantage,"says Eduloan General Marketing Manager, Zivana Jenkison.
"Eduloan requested that the recipient be a ‘disadvantaged' student, and so we looked for someone on financial aid who had the best sustained academic record over two years, matched with evidence of a high level of social awareness and involvement. Msayi has been enthusiastically involved in programmes which will assist future learners," explained Dean of Students, Dr Vivian de Klerk.
He was selected on the basis of academic records and recommendations from the extended studies lectures. He went to school in Motherwell, where he studied maths and science at Masiphathisane Senior Secondary school in Port Elizabeth. As a youth he always wanted to be a scientist specialising in computers or in any field that involves computers.
He came to Rhodes knowing exactly what he wanted to study and he chose Information Systems. It was challenging for him to adapt to university life and a new environment but he persevered.
"When I first came to Rhodes I felt lonely and sad because it was time for me to learn to stand on my own and I didn't know many people and it was a bit of a hurdle for me to start a new life," says Msayi. "As for my studies, it was a huge transition from high school to varsity but I've learnt so much in a short space of time," he concludes.
The Rhodes University Community Newsletter
Volume 22 Number 3 - July 2010
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