Dominic Mhiripiri: Engineering great leader in the making
Dominic is going to be one of our feature writers. We are excited to have him on board and we can not wait for his next feature article. It is our pleasure to introduce you to Dominic, a truly great leader of tomorrow in the making.
Dominic Mhiripiri
Brown University 12'
The capacity to be inspired and the ability to inspire is a hallmark of Usap students. Hailing from the humble suburbs of Chitungwiza and a survivor of the 2005 atrocity Murambatsvina, Dominic Mhiripiri is one such talented and inspiring USAPer. Dominic is a powerful story of great endurance, great academic achievement, great motivation and great potential. From the fiery orator that he is, to the ardent political activist-cum-writer, to the accapella musician to the gifted organizer and leader, Dominic embodies all the qualities and virtues of a Usap student.
Dominic was born in 1989 to a poor household in Chitungwiza, and his parents separated when he was two. Despite a complicated home background, much of Dominic’s his childhood was not a battle to survive or get material satisfaction, but was a battle to understand the world around him and how things work – and Dominic has always been ahead of his peers in terms of knowledge of world affairs, academic performance and just being curious. Dominic did his primary education partly at Seke 6 Primary, and partly at Chigwedere Primary in Wedza.
Dominic had an illustrious four-year stint at Zengeza 4 High School where he left a legacy of success both inside and outside the classroom. Dominic was the foremost student in his generation and was acknowledged in 2005 to be "arguably the finest orator in the history of the school" after rhetorical flourishes at school assemblies and functions, district competitions and national television that yielded an array of accolades and much glory to the school. Dominic was an involved leader, with an amazing academic and co-curricular record, a district champion in quiz, debate and public speaking. During his final secondary school year, Dominic was left homeless by Murambatsvina, but soldiered on to write and pass his final exams. He is Zengeza 4 High’s maiden Usaper.
ILSA College in Harare awarded Dominic a full A – level bursary, and he fulfilled the opportunity bestowed upon him with great vigor and appreciation – reaching hitherto unscaled levels of academic success and involvement outside the classroom. Dominic was therefore a unique Usaper as the 'one who did not wear school uniform' and also his SAT Sunday testing because he is a Sabbath-keeper. Also ILSA’s first Usap student, Dominic worked hard in his Usap class where up to this day he is known as a very confident and generous character – during the hectic late-year where Usap students complete the rigorous application process, Dominic was all over the place helping his colleagues with essays, typing and computer work and just motivation.
Dominic is an amazingly widely-read youth, and his knowledge of current affairs, politics, history and world affairs is above that of his peers. Dominic is a political writer / activist who always has an opinion dating back to his days as a Form Two student at Zengeza 4 High School and is certain he will continue to be such when he enrolls for college studies in the United States. Dominic edited his school magazine for 2005, and has also published several articles in three Zimbabwean papers, The Sunday Mail, The Worker and The Zimbabwean. He also did work as a campaigner to urge youths to participate in the 2008 elections in Zimbabwe, and has been a regular at community meetings and youth projects in Chitungwiza and the in Seventh-day Adventist Church where he is a deacon.
Dominic is full of initiative inside and outside the Usap domain. He belongs to Dominic and Ike Inc, an organization started by him and another Usap student Ike Gapara which he touts to become a "future giant corporation in Zimbabwe". Dominic is one of the most involved students in his Usap class, where he is a well-liked character who brims with cheerfulness and a positive spirit all the time.
Dominic is going to attend Brown University, with the distinct honor of being an Advancing Africa Scholar. He hopes to study Bio-medical Engineering and International Relations. He dreams of becoming a great leader in Zimbabwe's future, and become one of the foremost spreaders of the gospel of Jesus Christ in his generation.