His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and Chancellor of the Midlands State University, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, on Saturday the 2nd of December 2017 conferred degrees to a record 6 612 graduates at a lively and colourful ceremony held in the University’s Gweru Main Campus.
Out of the graduating total, 5 429 graduated with first degrees, 1 176 with Masters Degrees, while 7 attained DPhil degrees. In line with national efforts to industrialize and modernize the economy, of note was the fact that, of the graduating total 1 583 graduates were from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes. Additionally, it was also the first time that pioneering students in Chemical and Mineral Processing Engineering, Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering, Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology, Biostatistics and the Master of Science in Epidemiology were graduating.
Speaking at this historic 17th Congregation of the Midlands State University’s graduation ceremony, Midlands State University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor, Victor Ngonidzashe Muzvidziwa said, driven by its strategic plan and informed by national aspirations, MSU in all its activities ultimately seeks to contribute to the country’s economic development.
‘All our achievements and future plans as the leading institution of higher learning are informed by our dynamic strategic planning, which is aimed at contributing to the industrialization and modernization of our national economy’, said Professor Muzvidziwa.
As Midlands State University continues to grow, the Acting Vice-Chancellor also took the opportunity to highlight some of the University’s recent accomplishments and future plans, which included among other things recent construction projects as well as plans to establish another campus.
‘Plans are afoot to relocate our Faculty of Law and that of Natural Resources Management and Agriculture to the Kwekwe Campus. This envisioned campus will accommodate institutes and centres in specialized fields of Law …. the campus is intended to double up as a research centre, which focuses on small grains and new crops adapted to climate change such as quinoa grain and amarandas’, noted Professor Muzvidziwa,
In his closing remarks, the Acting Vice-Chancellor congratulated graduands and urged them to be unyielding and to never give up. He further impressed on them the need to be good brand ambassadors, who contribute positively to their communities.
‘My final word to you our shining graduands is that in line with our time-tested motto, “our hands, our minds our destiny”, as you leave MSU we expect you to be resolute, respectful, courageous and persistent in all your endeavors and to treat life, not as a single sprint but a marathon to be won’, said Professor Muzvidziwa.
The graduation ceremony was graced by various guests among them, the Permanent Secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Francis Gudyanga, MSU Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Professor Kadmiel Wekwete and Professor Doreen Moyo, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the MSU-Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences, Professor A Chawanda, Minister of State in the Midlands Province, the incoming Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in the Midlands Province, Honourable Cde Owen Ncube, Vice-Chancellors from sister universities, members of the University Council and Senate, captains of industry, parents and guardians as well as members of the University Community.