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 |
Itai David Njanji
College of Wooster 11'
Unlike many other excellent students, Itai has exhibited a rare combination of talents both in the lecture room and on the sporting field. Prior to attending the College of Wooster, he was awarded a cricket scholarship from the Zimbabwe Cricket board. Amongst many achievements, he played for the Mashonaland district, Uprising Cricket Club and Universal Cricket Club and was invited several times to try for the respective Zimbabwe age national teams. Itai made history by being one of the few cricketers in the country to be awarded an additional academic scholarship to attend one of the elite schools in Zimbabwe, Gateway High School, where he represented the school in a tour to South Africa.
Being part of the student leadership and also the cricket captain, Itai championed the idea of diversity in his leadership positions. Upon joining the United States Achievers Program, Itai decided to pursue a career in actuary rather than being a professional cricketer. Consequently, he received a scholarship to attend the College of Wooster, where he is majoring in Mathematics. Currently Itai participates in a number of college activities which include the Black Student Association, Wooster Cricket Club and the Wooster Christian Club. Amongst many of his ambitions, Itai’s dream is to see Africa united and living at her greatest potential as a continent.
Nancy Kasvosve
University of Chicago 11'
Nancy is a self motivated young lady whose tenacity in life has gotten her through much of it. Going into her third year at the University of Chicago, Nancy has decided to be the winner that she is. A Peadiatrics and Genetics research aspirant, Nancy is studying Biology with a focus on Genetics and Public Policy of which she plans to write her BA on women and children's health issues in resource-poor countries. She was awarded the prestigious Katen Scholars research grant with the Chicago Careers in Health Professions on her campus to pursure her research on the prevalence on breast cancer in women of African descent, which is going to be her BA focus for her Biology Major.
Outside of this academic rigor Nancy is a passionate member of the African and Caribbean Students Association at the University of Chicago where she holds the executive board position of Vice President. Also championing the leadership realm, Nancy is the first president of the National African Students Association-Midwest Chapter in a mid to find home grown solutions for African students to support each other on the different college campuses in the US. As a Peer Health Educator, Nancy gets to lead her fellow students on the University of Chicago campus in thinking about health issues especially those involving their sexuality and related practices. Her other special passions are singing and dancing.
Still going on strong, still keeping it together, this vibrant young lady can still utter the words she uttered on the commencement of her college career, "I have always been a blind dreamer all my life, working hard and not knowing where it will all take me, but just believing in myself and my abilities and wanting to go places. This is where it has brought me, in places and hoping, no in fact going further. Usap is the engineer and University of Chicago is my first fueling station. How about I take on the world next?!"
Clyde is gifted with the golden touch on anything, considering he is such a creative artist who just about sees beauty in everything. At Bates, he is studying biochemistry, math and art. Clyde is involved in independent research with a professor on DNA/RNA protein interaction and mapping. He also works as a student assistant at the Bates Health Center and at the College Museum.
In January 2008, Clyde was commissioned by Bates College to work on the Visual Arts section for the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorations. He produced powerful drawings and sculptures speaking about civil rights and racism. Recently, he was awarded one of the ultimate fellowships offered by Bates College to support student research projects, a very rare grant for first-years. Clyde will go to Panama over the summer of 2008 to study the art and culture of the Congo based people in Portobelo. He will participate in building environmental friendly shelter for the people in the village of Portobelo, applying the design of the traditional pole-and-dagga (mud and wattle) huts from Zimbabwe. Over the years, Clyde achieved a number of essay writing awards, and at Bates he will be a peer writing tutor in his second year. How does Clyde balance his studies with three jobs on campus, participate in the International Club, Bates Christian Fellowship, Diversity outreach, voluntary works, debate, soccer, tennis...?
"I do everything through Christ who enables me. I do it all for God's Glory!"
Clyde and friend Victor Babatunde (from Nigeria) are the first Usap students at Bates. Already, they co-initiated the Bates Africana Club and they are both involved in many pre-med programs as well as Christian and voluntary activities.
Clyde's dream is to discover a viral cure, particularly for HIV. He looks forward to a career in Microbiology and Public Health while finding time for Animation. Just before coming to Bates, Clyde was attached to Security Devices/Multi Manufacturers, where he assured the quality of chemical products like bleach and detergents. While he worked at the company, Clyde was introduced to industrial lab research and microscopy, and then received tremendous support from Security Devices to fund part of his way to the United States. Clyde wishes to establish top shelf medical laboratories in Zimbabwe and in Africa and to fight for the general health care for the poor. He also hopes to compile African traditional tales and preserve the heritage through animation.
Edward Muguza
Amherst College 11'
Born in the high density suburb of Glen Norah, Harare, Zimbabwe: Edward Muguza, persevered and completed his high school at Highfield high as one of the best student at the school. Currently, he is enrolled at Amherst College, MA, USA in the class of 2011. In high school, he developed leadership skills as a school prefect and athletics captain and is now utilizing the skills leading some of the organizations at Amherst College. As one of the most promising leaders in his class of 2011, President Anthony Marx selected him to be part of the Community Engagement Fellows. The group focuses at improving the Centre for Community Engagement at Amherst College. He also initiated an intramural soccer team and organized the establishment of a pool club at Amherst College. At Amherst, he is also involved in other activities which include volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, Amherst Cricket, Black Students Union, and the International Students Association. Edward intends to be a double major in Mathematics and Chemistry. During his high school years he was one of the prestigious Zimbabwe Olympiad Mathematics finalist in 2005.
After graduation in 2011, Edward intents to go to graduate school where he plans to study either Pharmacy or Chemical Engineering. As Martin Luther Jr said, "I have a dream", the Glen Norah based scholar aspires to see children in poverty stricken parts of African having access to free medication and drugs in the quest to fight infant mortality rate that is destroying the African pride. He pursues to inspire other people to achieve and take risks in order to attain any goals through excelling in any endeavor and utilizing the available resources.
Munashe Shumba
Brown University 11'
Munashe Shumba from Harare, Zimbabwe is currently pursuing a BSc. in Computer engineering at Brown University, Rhode Island. He is an active member of the Brown Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) chapter. He works with other engineering students to foster technological innovation through collaborative projects, to connect student with career opportunities and to promote community. He is also actively involved with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) chapter where he works to increase the minority representation in technical fields by providing support for minority students in engineering and other science fields.
Munashe is interested in power-efficient systems and computer architecture. He also interested in application development and embedded systems. He plans to do further studies in these areas and use technology to improve the quality of life in underdeveloped countries.
Cliford Sakutukwa
Berea College 11'
Cliford comes from RUsape. He did his secondary education at Mount Carmel Secondary, a day school in Manicaland. In 2004 he completed his Ordinary Levels and passed with flying colors after which he battled against all odds and finally made it to the capital city (Harare) where he was to pursue his Advanced Level studies.
Even though it was really challenging, he got a place at Harare High School where he did his Advanced Levels. As is the song with him, the year 2006 saw him graduating from high school with extremely excellent grades.
Cliford's life completely changed when he got admitted into Usap during his final year in high school. Through Usap, he got all the necessary support to apply to colleges in the US to the point when he got admitted at Berea and left Zimbabwe.
His life is punctuated by assuming a lot of leadership position. Cliford joined student government in 2001 and is still part of it today. Currently he is the freshman class president at Berea. He is an active member in the African Students Association club, an active member of the Black Students Association, the secretary of his house council.
Cliford, popularly known as "Doctor" among his friends, is pursuing a double major in Economics and Mathematics and a minor in Computer Science. It is his goal to get a PhD in either Actuarial Science or Financial Mathematics and then become a serious player in the consultancy industry.
Raynold Shenje
Davidson College 11'
Raynold was born and raised in Harare, went to St Faith's High school, a boarding school in RUsape were he became heavily invloved in charity work and volunteering. It is his belief that poor people are most fascinating, and that they have so much to offer. In the three years that he has volunteered, Raynold has encountered people of extraordinary talents in disciplines like sporting and music. The only thing that between these people and maximising their potentital is poverty, which is what Raynold seeks to change. He was treasurer of the LEO club, a branch of the Lions Club International at St. Faith's High school.
At the moment Raynold is attending college at Davidson College, NC, where he has just been appointed Residence Advisor for the period 2008-2009. He is planning on majoring in Chemistry and will graduate in May 2011 with the hope of persuing a Chemistry Engineering degree. After this degree, he will probably go back to Zimbabwe, where many of the Chemical Engineers are fleeing the country citing viability problems. As a Chemical Engineer, he intends to help curb water pollution, one of Zimbabwe's major problems. He also intends to remain a part of the Lions Club International.
Ray loves listening to people speak, he is intrigued by how people look so much alike about have totally different mindsets. As such, his hobby is chatting with people of all backgrounds. "A little procrastination doesn't kill" is one of his favorite sayings. He also plays a lot of soccer and is part of the Davidson intermural team.
Donald Batsirai Hondongwa
Vassar College 11'
Donald has unique combination of intellect, dedication, will. Raised in the suburbs of Harare, Donald’s dedication saw him make his way to the high academic ranks at Kutama College where he did both his Ordinary and Advanced level studies. During his stay at Kutama, Donald managed to get top of the range grades in all fields; sciences, arts and commercials. For his Advanced Level studies, his passion for natural sciences led him to take mathematics, physics and chemistry. At this time he also got involved in the Old Mutual Mathematics Olympiad becoming the Kutama college team captain in 2005-2006. He managed to attain third position in the first round in both those years. His great performance in these natural sciences earned him the name Isaac Newton among his class men in high school.
Aside from the academics, Donald was also involved in other community activities. He was the secretary and treasurer of the Kutama College Aids Actions Society, a group that was dedication in fund raising for the aids orphans around the School.
After high school, he got accepted at Vassar College in the class of 2011, where he hopes to pursue a major in Physics and a minor in computer science or mathematics. He is a very active member of the Vassar African Students Association. For him this is just the beginning!
Donald believes that one of the greatest problems in the world is that of lack of efficient utilization of natural resources, a problem whose effects will be felt by future generation. In the interest of future preservation, he believes that it of great importance to devise methods that invoke the efficient use of resources. Africa being one of the big sources of natural resources, there is no better way of achieving his goal than improving the technology in Africa, and what better way to do this than to become an engineer. This is Donald’s goal.
Virginia Nyikadzino
Lehigh University 11'
Virginia is one of the fire-balls of the Usap class of 2007. She is an all rounder who has managed to break new ground in just one semester of college. Virginia is an active leader within Lehigh University’s Student Senate in which she is the Alumni Relations Director among other things. She is also in Lehigh's four year leadership program that seeks to train undergraduates to be multi disciplinary leaders, especially in community service.
Among her pioneered organizations were the Peer Educators of Marondera High School in 2006 and currently, International Connection, a program in which she is the Cultural Peer Counselor for Lehigh's ESL students. She is also a member of the Harambe Endeavor, an organization of African academic diasporas who will be touring ten African countries this year (June- August). In the Harambe she is working as a member of the Zambian team in on entrepreneurial project aimed at eradicating Malaria and economically empowering the people of Zambia.
Virginia is a civil engineering and business major. She is passionate about empowering people, entrepreneurship, children and she loves mountain climbing.
Emmanuel Magara
Oberlin College 11'
Before going to Oberlin College, Emmanuel Magara was a Junior Member of the Parliament of Zimbabwe through which he did several projects dealing with HIV/AIDS and orphans. During the 2008 January/Winter Term, he participated in a group project on Community Development in South Africa where they spent several weeks visiting communities previously affected by apartheid and also meeting people infected/affected by HIV/AIDS.
At Oberlin College he was selected to be a Resident Assistant Director (RA) as a freshman (one of the first freshmen ever considered to be RAs). He is also a Bonner Scholar (for Community Service and Learning) and a member of the Model UN and a member of the Harambe Endeavor (an African leadership program). He intends to major in Biology, Neuroscience and or Chinese. Ultimately, he intends to become a medical doctor and maybe get involved in politics.
Noreen Kudzai Nkosana
Wesleyan University 11'
Noreen is a determined young lady who has had a passion to make a difference in the world ever since she was a little girl. She is the first child in a family of four – a pathfinder and pacesetter according to some of her friends. Her education carrier started at Nyamande Primary School in Domboshava where she realized the importance of education at an early age; she loved learning and nothing was going to stop her from pursuing and realizing her dreams. She went on to St. Paul's Musami High School and then Harare High School where she completed her high school education.
Through Usap she was able to apply to US colleges and was admitted to Wesleyan University for the fall of 2007. The program helped her to keep an open mind and look at the world in a different way. It marked the beginning of new visions and dreams in her life – she realized that the world is full of opportunities just waiting for open-minded and dedicated people to 'go- get'.
Noreen is planning to major in Chemistry and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry. She is interested in chemical engineering and research. On campus she is a member of the Wesleyan Christian Fellowship and the African Students Association and next fall she will be playing club soccer. After Wesleyan she wishes to go to medical school. One of her dreams is to help identify and nurture talent in young children by providing them with necessary resources.
More Zimbabwe student profiles
| Class of 2009 | Class of 2010 | Class of 2011 | Class of 2012 | Class of 2013 |