… by Donald / from Gweru, Zimbabwe / MA Economics and Mathematics / 2nd Year (UG)
Growing up, I witnessed first-hand the adverse effects of the hyperinflation crises in Zimbabwe, and this sparked my desire to learn how to create lucrative projects that are beneficial to the global community. Therefore, when I came to the University of Edinburgh through the Mastercard Foundation scholarship, I chose to do Mathematics and Economics so as to gain insight into the intricate dynamics underlying major economies worldwide.
Being at the University of Edinburgh has really helped me progress towards this goal as they have diverse range of clubs and societies that augment students’ knowledge in different sectors and fields that might otherwise not be covered in degree curriculums. I have really enjoyed being part of these and this has been a huge opportunity for my personal growth.
In my first year I joined Prosper Social Finance, a student-led SRI fund at the university that invests in businesses that create positive social impact in their communities. As an Investment Analyst at Prosper, I was able to develop my collaborative skills as I worked with fellow students contributing to and drawing from the team-based environment at Prosper. Through this role, I also garnered data analysis skills that improved my critical thinking skills as well as my attention to detail.
More recently I joined FreshSight Ltd, a student-led consultancy that seeks to provide socially conscious organisations with practical, sustainable and innovative business solutions. I’ve been working with an Edinburgh-based enterprise to improve their outreach and their subscription model in sustainable tourism. My work with FreshSight has allowed me to develop my communication skills in both professional and casual settings and this has really helped me when pitching ideas to my colleagues and superiors. Learning about project management and consulting at this society with regards to sustainable development goals (SDGs) has been an exhilarating experience.
Overall, being part of extracurricular clubs and societies at the University of Edinburgh has been a largely rewarding experience and has elevated me to a platform where I can interact with many students from different backgrounds while widening my social network. I would encourage new and current students to take every opportunity to enrich their university experience by joining clubs and societies be it a dance society, karate, gaming or even those that seek to create change around the world such as my personal favourite, BlackED who advocate against racism and discrimination. Being part of student groups at the university has changed my life!!