53 year old obtains master’s degree from South African university

An exceptional 53-year-old woman named Jacqueline Grant has fulfilled her lifelong dream of earning a degree during her life since she left school in 1989.

Grant graduated with a Master of Commerce in Leadership Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa. She initially enrolled at the then-University of Natal’s Bachelor of Arts in a Drama and Teaching program in 1989 but life had other plans.

She stated that her dream had always been to become a teacher. Grant earned a Bachelor of Commerce and a postgraduate diploma from Varsity College, is now a part-time online lecturer.

In the period of the 35 years, she was out of school, Grant worked in the accounting and property industries for over 25 years before beginning her academic career in 2015.

“Transitioning to academia has not been without its challenges, but this latest qualification opens up new opportunities,” Grant said.

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“It broadened my knowledge of leadership and helped shape my leadership approach. I was appointed to a senior position at the beginning of this year,” she added.

Grant’s study, titled An Examination of the Role of Leadership in Fostering Employee Engagement During Times of Crises: A Case Study of the Commercial Property Sector in KwaZulu-Natal.

The findings of her study highlighted that communication is the cornerstone of employee engagement which is underpinned by the quality of the employer/employee relationship.

She hopes that the findings of her research will assist leaders in crafting effective employee engagement strategies during times of crisis.