They started dating in 2012, went back to Zimbabwe and paid lobola in 2015, and on Friday simultaneously received their PhDs at the University of Fort Hare.
Tinashe Harry, 29, of Masvingo, and Tatenda Nyabvudzi, 28, of Harare, who live in Port Elizabeth, were delighted when they were both conferred with doctorates of commerce in Industrial Psychology.
The university’s spring graduation ceremony in Alice also honoured the multi-award-winning SA poet, short-story writer, novelist and cultural activist, Mandla Langa, with a doctoral degree of philosophy in literature.
A total of 426 degrees and diplomas, and 58 PhDs were conferred , bringing the number of PhDs conferred at the university in 2018 to 102.
Among the graduates was the former health MEC in the province, Sicelo Gqobana, who obtained his masters degree in public administration.
Speaking to the Dispatch after they were capped, the young couple said they had officially added another line to their wedding vows: “In education, we shall prosper”.
Harry said when he first laid his eyes on his wife, he instantly knew she was the one for him.
“She was my junior and I noticed her. We become best friends and soon fell in love,” Harry said.
The feeling was mutual. Nyabvudzi accepted Harry’s marriage proposal in 2013.
“After he popped the question, we went to Zimbabwe and informed our families. They were happy for us and advised us to complete our studies before having the official wedding celebrations,” Nyabvudzi said.
They obeyed their families’ wishes and now preparations for their wedding celebrations next year are under way.
Harry’s thesis, A longitudinal investigation into employability, looked into the journey taken by a sample of black African students who were enrolled at historically disadvantaged universities transitioning into the labour market.
His findings indicated that a number of issues, such as socioeconomic background and labour market experience, affected the employability of black Africans.
“My research topic was motivated by people I know who are struggling to find employment after qualifying. A number of the participants in my study remained unemployed owing to the challenges identified,” Harry said.
Nyabvudzi’s study looked into the career development of women refugees.
“The aim of the study was to understand how women refugees navigated through their careers post-settlement in SA.”
Her study found career development was affected by gender and immigration status.
Fort Hare Professor Willie Chinyamurindi, who supervised the pair, said the couple’s journey symbolised the importance of love and support.
“A similarity that cut across their research was the use of narrative inquiry as a tool to understand sense-making processes that characterise the lived experiences of their respective unique sample groups. Their dedication and commitment was laudable. For me this is not just a story about getting a PhD but how support plays an important part en route . Love never fails.”
The couple’s goal now is to open their own firm where they will practice together...