Walter Sisulu University fourth year social sciences student, Philile Maseti, has used his good writing skills to earn himself a networking opportunity, after winning the SA-Sweden Essay Competition.
The faculty of humanities via the department of politics and relations at the University of Johannesburg, the Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria, and the South Africa-Sweden University Forum (SASUF), invited third- and fourth-year social sciences and humanities students from member institutions to participate in the essay competition.
“As a final year, unfunded student, I am always on my student e-mail, checking for bursary and internship opportunities. I stumbled upon the competition poster and because I have always been someone who always competed in and won essay competitions in high school, I decided to take my chances with this one as well,” said Maseti.
Maseti, who has always been passionate about writing and politics, entered the essay contest on South Africa-Sweden relations, with hopes that it would land him a great internship programme.
“There were different topics to choose from that spoke about building relations between the two countries. They had different categories such as academic, science and technology, environmental issues, cultural diplomacy, and gender issues. I chose the cultural diplomacy because I knew that most students would go for education.”
Maseti’s essay was scored as one of the top submissions as determined by the panel of judges from the different stakeholders.
As the author of one of the top submissions, Maseti was invited to attend the winners’ lunch at the Swedish ambassador’s residence in Waterkloof, Pretoria, on Monday, October 24.
“I have struggled a lot growing up to a point where a four-year degree took me seven years to finish. This is an opportunity of a lifetime for me, and I hope it opens more doors in the employment environment,” he said.
The winners’ lunch was attended by the Swedish ambassador to South Africa, Håkan Juholt, several embassy officials, members of the panel of judges and senior level management from the faculty of humanities at the University of Johannesburg.
In addition to the winners’ lunch, Maseti was invited to publish his essay in a forthcoming special issue of the University of Johannesburg Press’s journal, The Thinker, on South Africa-Sweden relations.
To be published in the journal, he was required to revise his essay in accordance with feedback from the panel of judges.
“I have chosen to work with a WSU senior lecturer, Dr Gladys Ashu, on this because we have always worked well together and she always wants me to do more, so she will be the one assisting me with converting my essay to a journal article,” said Maseti.
The objective of this essay competition is to help establish and foster long-lasting relationships between Swedish and South African students and academics and gain new insights on how to take the relationship between Sweden and South Africa forward.
– ISSUED BY WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY
