My journey to officially becoming a university graduate

At the age of 41, Candace Laubscher, Marketing and Communications Specialist – Business Development at Momentum Health Solutions, completed a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Science through Unisa.

A cum laude pass and 23 distinctions! Having earned (according to her) “dismal” marks in matric twenty-odd years ago, which would not have allowed her to pursue tertiary studies, one day graduating from university was something Candace never dreamt would happen. Here is her story …

I went through some tough times, growing up. Getting involved with the wrong crowds … school just was not a priority. Unfortunately, as my home life deteriorated, so my grades plummeted too.

I regretted not achieving my full potential in my last years of high school. As a result, when applying for jobs and asked to produce my matric certificate, I would submit it reluctantly. I always share those feelings with my kids, to help them understand how important their education is. 

Having regret hanging over my head for the rest of my life, was never an option for me. I had a deep desire to study further when I was young, but my parents didn't have the financial means to support this. Consequently, I went straight into the world of work. Then I got married and started a family. My plans to study further, were put on hold for a while. 

I applied for a company bursary in 2011. While working for the Metropolitan Health Group (MHG) as an office administrator in the IT Department I enrolled at Northlink College, where I could attend evening classes. At the time, I had a ten-year-old, a seven-year-old and a four-year-old. I would leave work at 4 pm, go home to check homework while my husband made supper, and then head off to class from 6 until 9 pm every day. Those 18 months felt like an eternity, but I finally obtained N4, N5 and N6 with distinctions.

At the same time, I applied for a role in marketing at MHG. This role allowed me to meet the practical application requirements to apply for a national diploma. I graduated in 2012 with eight distinctions and a National Diploma in Marketing Management from the Department of Higher Education. 

A few months later, I went through a retrenchment process at MHG. Thanks to my NDip, I secured a job as a marketing consultant at a small international company. Within 18 months, I was promoted to global marketing and communications manager. 

I achieved success both at work and in my studies. This gave me the confidence and motivation to resume my academic journey. This time it was via distance learning. In 2016, I applied for a bursary and enrolled with Unisa for a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Science. To my surprise, I excelled through open distance and e-learning (ODeL). After one year of stellar academic results, I set my sights on achieving cum laude and finishing my degree in record time.   

The position I was in, though, required extensive travel around the globe, as I was working with branches in other time zones. It was exhilarating at first, but after a while the novelty wore off. It became uncomfortable spending so much time away from my family. My marks also took a dip one semester, which knocked me hard. I had worked too diligently to give up on my dream of graduating cum laude.  

I still had cum laude in mind, and the dream of finishing my degree in record time, but then the Covid-19 pandemic struck. With five modules remaining during my final year of study, I was working from home and struggling to maintain some normality, trying to establish a work-life balance, while helping my children with remote learning.  

I wasn't doing well, because my son developed health issues. Although I struggled to study, I was determined to meet my goals. I reached out to the employee assistance programme (EAP) at work and received professional help. I still managed to obtain distinctions in four of the five remaining modules, despite the lockdown.

As women, our burden of responsibility sometimes forces us to put our plans on hold. I believe it's never too late to turn your life around or learn new things. My family was amazing through it all: always ready with a hug, a cup of coffee, or just a shoulder to cry on when I felt I couldn't go on. Their absolute belief and faith that I would succeed, carried me through some of the darkest times.

I missed many family meals. I missed weekends with friends and spent many sleepless nights studying, but I would do it all again. Today, I am officially a first-generation university graduate in my family. It’s never too late to change your story. I am breaking generational cycles!

* By Candace Laubscher, assisted by Busisiwe Mahlangu, Communications Coordinator, Department of Institutional Advancement