By: Tshepiso Kaibe – 18 April 2024

At just 21 years of age, Simphiwe Zwane has started paving her way in the field of Chemical Engineering. Hailing from Orange Farm in the Vaal Triangle, her journey to academic excellence and leadership is nothing short of inspirational.

Zwane’s path to success was not initially mapped out in Chemical Engineering. Her goals initially leaned towards a degree in Pharmacy, but fate had other plans when she found herself in the world of Chemical Engineering, a field she later grew to enjoy.

Despite the turn of events, Zwane’s hunger for success remains testament of dedication and hard work. She embraced the challenge head-on, graduating Cum Laude with an Advanced Diploma in Chemical Engineering at the 2024 Autumn Graduations. Her achievements extend beyond the academic scope and into leadership as well.

As the former President of the Society of Chemical Engineers Student Structure for two years, she demonstrated exceptional leadership skills guiding her peers with dedication. Her leadership, however, was not confined to student organizations alone. Recognizing the need for greater female representation in engineering, Zwane founded the NGO ‘Women in Engineering’ during her time at VUT, championing gender equality and empowering young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Under her leadership, she spearheaded several successful initiatives which include organizing educational trips to plant firms for Chemical Engineering Students. Her NGO, Women in Engineering also scooped an award for Best Academic Structure at the inaugural Student Life Achievement Awards last year, organised by Student Support Services (SSS) Department to appreciate the hard work of students outside of the lecture halls.

She mentions that juggling the demands of both academics and leadership came with ease for her. “I am a person that enjoys being busy, so when I was not busy with academics, I would find something else to do,” said Zwane. Talk about wearing different hats at different places, outside her Presidency, she also served as a peer educator and mentor, guiding and inspiring others on their academic journeys.

Currently pursuing her Honors at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), Zwane shows no signs of slowing down. She expresses hopes to continue furthering her studies and one day work in Research.

Behind Zwane’s success lies a strong support system, including her mother, whom she describes as her biggest cheerleader, and her lecturers. She also emphasizes the importance of building meaningful relationships with the school community for more access to opportunities.

We wish to congratulate Zwane and wish her luck as she continues to trailblaze the field of Chemical Engineering.