Zimbabwe Student Profiles
Since it's inception in 1999, Usap has helped tens of Zimbabwean students get accepted to top notch colleges in the United States. Some have since graduated and are working in various fields in the United States and elsewhere around the world and some have chosen to remain in academia at various instituations in the United States. There are over a hundred Usap students from Zimbabwe alone and each one of them has an amazing story to tell. Below are brief profiles of some of our students just to give you a glimpse of our diversity as a people as well as the diversity of our their career paths and futures.
| Class of 2009 | Class of 2010 | Class of 2011 | Class of 2012 | Class of 2013 |
George Nyasha Baison
Columbia University 10'
Born and raised in the high-density suburb of Mkoba, Gweru, George is the last of three boys. George was largely influenced by the scientific environment in his home created by his father who was an electrician and his brother who had a huge interest in biology. Finally, a bit of sibling rivalry made him go into biology as his main interest in high school.
George got admitted in Columbia University in the City of New York and was nominated to be in the Columbia Undergraduate Scholars Program. He is currently a sophomore at Columbia where he intends on majoring in Environmental Biology and pursuing his interests in Sustainable Development because of the presence of the Earth institute at Columbia. His major interests, however, are in issues of public health, environmental microbiology, genetics and biodiversity conservation. These interests have led him into working in a neurobiology laboratory at Columbia. Since 2007, he has been working in a biochemistry laboratory, which focuses on neural development in C.elegans (nematodes). Apart from research in molecular biology, he is also involved with the Earth Institute at Columbia as a research assistant, doing research on Functional Biodiversity in the tropics.
Outside the academic field he is on the Society of international Undergraduates (SIU) board, Columbia Environmental Biology Society (CUEBS) board as well as the Global Recruitment Committee (GRC). Eventually, he hopes to use the knowledge that he will get from his environmental Biology major, together with the Sustainable development, and molecular biology research skills to explore the wide breath of unknown African herbs and find the cure for HIV or cancer.
Shelvean Kapita
Lafayette Collge 10'
Born and raised in the small mining town of Mhangura, Zimbabwe, Shelvean is a science ethusiast currently pursuing a BS in Physics and an AB degree in Mathematics at Lafayette College. At Lafayette, he was elected McKelvy Scholar, an honor given to only eighteen Lafayette students each year. He has been involved in two Physics research projects, starting from his freshman year. In 2007, he conducted research in Computational Surface Physics, where he ran a series of computer simulations to study the way xenon atoms attach themselves to platinum.
Currently, Shelvean is also involved in the ALFALFA project (Arecibo Legacy Fast Alfa Survey). ALFALFA is an ongoing project aimed at finding and cataloging galaxies that emit radio signals. They do this using the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope --the Arecibo Telescope in Puerto Rico. Under the guidance of Professor Lyle Hoffman, Head of the Physics Department at Lafayette, he is studying the distribution of neutral hydrogen in one dwarf galaxy called DDO216 using data from the Arecibo telescope.
After Lafayette College, Shelvean plans to pursue a doctorate in theoretical physics, and hopes to join other theorists in the quest for a unified theory of physics. How did the universe begin? What are the most basic elements composing it, and how do they all fit together? These are the questions that motivate him, and he hopes to answer them, one day.
Respina Jani
Mount Holyoke College 10'
Also known as "Ara Jays", Respina is currently a senior at Mount Holyoke College, double majoring in Mathematics and Economics. She was born and raised in Chiredzi, Southeastern Zimbabwe. She left for Mount Holyoke College in August of 2006 on a full scholarship, which she managed to secure with the help of Usap.
Respina is a recipient of the prestigious Mount Holyoke Leadership Award. In her first year, she received the Mildred L. Sanderson Prize for excellence in Mathematics and she was also nominated a Sarah Williston Scholar in 2008. Respina has been involved in the student government association since her sophomore year and she enjoys working with students. She is currently one of the 5 Student's AGovernment Association bookkeepers serving the banking needs of more than 150 student's organizations on campus. During her spare time, she enjoys cooking, hanging out with other nationalities, watching movies and most importantly, dancing to music.
Upon graduation, Respina aspires to join the consulting industry or any field that strongly adapt economic theory and apply it to solve real world problems.
Tariro Mupombwa
University of Pennsylvania 10'
Tariro Mupombwa, who grew up in the city of Kadoma, Zimbabwe, is a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, and is majoring in Biochemistry, with a minor in Economics. She is currently the Penn African Students' Association Treasurer, and is also the Publicity Chair for the Penn African Students' Performing Arts. Tariro, who has always aspired to become a medical doctor, regularly volunteers in the Pediatrics Department at the Children's Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Having an interest in infectious diseases, she is an active part of a research team that does work on genetic and metabolic regulatory networks of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tariro is also interested in Health Care Management, and hopes to make a significant contribution to the health policy in Zimbabwe. Her dream is to start up a cancer research institute in Zimbabwe.
Tichakunda Mangono
Brown University 10'
Popularly known as "DulaDula", Tichakunda hails from the small Zimbabwean town of Masvingo, where he spent most of his childhood before attending Dadaya High School in nearby Zvishavane. He is currently a national scholar and has expressed interest in a combined Applied Mathematics and Economics concentration (Finance Track). This summer he will be joining the JP Morgan Summer Honors Program in investment banking division.
Tichakunda has been involved in a variety of extracurricular activities, such as the Undergraduate Council of Students where he was an Associate Member and appointed Brown Delegate to the annual Ivy Council Conference. His interest in international student affairs has seen him participating in a number of programs such the International Mentoring Program as a mentor, Brown Office of Summer and Continuing Studies as an International Fellow and the Brown Internationalization Committee as part of the Student Panel. He also sits on the winter program, January@Brown’s Advisory Board and the Summer@Brown RA Selection Committee.
A resident of Buxton International House, Tichakunda plays as a defender for his house in the Intramural Soccer Championships and is famous for his deadly "power shot". Besides the keen interest in finance and policy making, Tichakunda is also passionate about music and dance. He has co-choreographed a number of African dance pieces for Brown African Students Association (BRASA) cultural shows and co-founded ASA Harmony, an African a cappella group. A sociable, funny fellow, Tichakunda always loves interaction with all.
Auxilia Munhutu
Princeton University 10'
From Harare, Zimbabwe Auxilia Munhutu is a member of the class of 2010 at Princeton University in Princeton New Jersey. She is an Electrical Engineering major getting certificates in African Studies, Materials Science and Robotics and Intelligent Systems. Auxilia is a member of many clubs on campus including Rotaract International, Global Development Initiative, the Princeton African Students Association, the National Society of Black Engineers for which she is senator, William Harris Society at Princeton and the Society of Women Engineers. She also plays intramural soccer and volleyball. In the summer of 2007 she did a research with a professor to design an affordable machine for the detection and treatment of cervical cancer, which she has incorporated into her nanofabrication independent work. She intends to go to graduate school at either Princeton or Duke and ultimately work as an Electrical Engineer with her own practice. Her dream is to own a five star hotel in Zimbabwe.
Ashton Ngwenya
Manhattanville College 10'
Ashton is currently studying at Manhattanville College in New York set to graduate in May 2010. Originally a Zezuru from Chiweshe he is also known as Chikake (the storytelling drum beater) after his beloved grandfather. Before coming to the United States he saw himself being a doctor, but later faced reality and found interest in Finance and Computer Science. His new dream is to be either an Investment Banker or an Actuary; the decision will be made with time and opportunities available.
He has been a prominent member of the Ville’s Global Citizenship program and has spoken a lot in debates concerning the differences between Africans in America and African Americans. He has shown a very unique interest in races and politics as well; hence his other dream is to speak for the people of Zimbabwe at one point in his life. He has also represented Manhattanville College at the United Nations Harvard National Model UN, The United Nations 60th DPI and the United Nations Youth Assembly Conferences both as a delegate and as a volunteer. Besides academics, Ashton is a fun loving, liberal but quiet individual who never ceases to amaze his friends with his great story telling abilities.
Lloyd Munjanja
College of St. Scholastica 10'
Currently enrolled at the College of St. Scholastica Lloyd Munjanja is a highly determined student who has shown his ability to release his potential in the field of medicine. He is undertaking a double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science. His main goal in life is to initiate an International Health Organization that will help the less privileged families which need health attention but has no access to it. His dream is a great one and he is working tirelessly day and night in the bid to fulfill in the dawn of tomorrow.
A keen student who is involved in various clubs, one of them being United for Africa which deals with issues affecting Africa. From the Cross-Country team at the College of St. Scholastica, Lloyd has been known as the "Lion Claw" due to his vitality. Lloyd is actively participating as a volunteer at a local health center in Minnesota, Duluth, called Chris Jensen Health and Rehabilitation Center. He is also one of those few lads who are inspired by Albert Einstein, the 20th century scientist.
Tambudzai Kudze
Bennington College 10'
Tambu grew up in the small cotton-growing town of Gokwe (Zimbabwe) and later attended Gokomere High School in Masvingo. She is the youngest of six children.
Her selection into Usap was the beginning of new dreams. She is currently studying Biology and Chemistry at Bennington College in Vermont. She is also interested in politics and looks forward to becoming an active politician. Tambu looks forward to attending Graduate school to study biomedical engineering or pharmacy and eventually own a pharmacy in Zimbabwe.
During her first term at Bennington, she became a co-founder and writer for an alternative Bennington campus newspaper "Before The End of The World." She currently heads the International Students' Organization and has been a representative in the Student council and the Student's Educational Policies Committee. She is also a member of the Students for Social Justice and enjoys taking part in events that involve global issues. She recently interned with the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics at Princeton University.
Tawanda Mashavave
Hamilton College 10'
Tawanda Mashavave grew up in Shamva, Zimbabwe. He did his primary education at Bindura Primary School, and then did both his Ordinary and Advanced Levels at Kutama College, in Norton. He won a Silver Medal in the Old Mutual Mathematics Olympiad in 2005. After graduating from Kutama College, he worked at CBZ Bank Limited from December 2005 to July 2006 before coming to the United States in August of 2006.
Tawanda is studying Mathematics and Computer Science at Hamilton College. He hopes to go into Information Technology or Actuary Sciences. He is a member of the Computer Science Programming Team and is a Computer Science teaching assistant. Tawanda is also member of the West Indian and African Association where he is the Website Administrator, International Students Association and the Brothers Organization. He plays intramural sports in soccer, volleyball, and cricket.
Fallon Chipidza
Hamilton College 10'
Fallon Chipidza was born in Harare and grew up in Chitungwiza. She attended Vainona High School before she was awarded a scholarship to attend Regina Mundi Girls School. She was then accepted into Usap and then later enrolled into Hamilton College, New York.
At Hamilton, Fallon is majoring in Photography and Creative Writing with a minor in Chemistry. Fallon's goal is to increase awareness in public health issues and to empower women knowledge and skills for basic living. She hopes to study medicine upon graduation from Hamilton. Next year, Fallon will study abroad at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark where she will take biochemistry classes and research on HIV-related drugs.
At Hamilton, Fallon sings in the gospel choir, has been a resident advisor for the past two years, is a member of the Photography Society and is also a WHCL Radio DJ. Some of Chipidza’s interests include public speaking, critical writing and photojournalism. Fallon acknowledged that the most influential person in her life was her matron at Regina Mundi School, Sister Helen Ellen and without her guidance, she wouldn't have attained the heights she’s reached so far.
Kelvin Gorekore
Middlebury College 10'
Kelvin is a computer science and economics double major and is minoring in mathematics. As a young child, Kelvin thought that one day he would be a physician but when he got to Middlebury, he immediately found interest in economics and computer science. He became very interested in robotics and artificial intelligence. In January 2008, he was involved in a project to demonstrate the basics of robotics to the Middlebury community. During the summer of the same year, he was involved in conducting research on robot navigation and stereo vision. He worked on developing and implementing image registration and alignment algorithms, object identification algorithms and image matching models.
In addition to robotics and artificial intelligence, Kelvin is also interested in the financial services industry. In May 2008, he was chosen to attend the Merrill Lynch 2008 Leaders of Tomorrow Academy where he enhanced his leadership, presentation, and networking skills while also gaining more knowledge about the financial services industry. During the summer of 2009, Kelvin will intern at Merrill Lynch as an applications developer. He hopes to go into information technology at a financial services firm after graduation.
When Kelvin is not in class, he enjoys playing cricket and intramural soccer. Currently, he is a member of the Middlebury College Cricket Team, African Students Organization (UMOJA) and International Students Organization.
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More Zimbabwe student profiles
| Class of 2009 | Class of 2010 | Class of 2011 | Class of 2012 | Class of 2013 |