Below is an interview that I had all put nicely together:
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
by Aleksandra Solomatova (Sasha),Berea College Kentucky USA
With less than a year after attaining her Bachelors in Chemistry from Berea College, Ruvimbo Violet Katiyo, from Zimbabwe, is convinced that she is ready to conquer the world and keep flying her nation’s flag high. Jack-of-all-trades as we know her, Ruvimbo is also a designer, model, athlete and an artist. Being a trend setter she is, Ruvimbo used to play number 1 seed for Berea’s tennis team and was the first African at Berea to be awarded the Wilson Evans Tennis Award; a true reflection of her hard work and sheer dedication. As an Entrepreneurship for the Public Good fellow, she attended high profile conferences such as the Harvard Africa Business Conference in Boston and participated in the glamorous New York Africa Fashion Week. Ruvimbo is undoubtedly a phenomenal woman who works hard to make her dreams come true.
Tell us more about your life after Berea College.
It has been full of eye opening experiences. The biggest challenge I faced was making a decision to leave USA for Zimbabwe. My first stop was Johannesburg, South Africa where I was scheduled to start work but my heart was at home and I had a big vision and dream about things I wanted to achieve while in the Zimbabwean soils, so I left South Africa for Zimbabwe and never looked back. I always felt hugely indebted to give back to the country that raised me & cultured me into the person I am today, a nation whose cultural norms and values are embroiled in my heart & wrapped with red, green, yellow, black & white, the colors of Zimbabwe’s flag. When I arrived in Zimbabwe, I knew exactly what I wanted and went for that without blinking twice. I wanted to make a breakthrough in the fashion Industry and be a social entrepreneur and that’s exactly what I am working on right now. I haven’t fully established my empire, but um getting there.
What was the most profound experience for you at Berea and how did it impact your future?
Being at Berea College and in USA was very insightful on its own, however I have top encounters that really had a significant role in shaping me into the person I am today. Being selected to be an Entrepreneurship for the Public Good Fellow (EPG) in 2009 was definitely a big accomplishment for me. This prestigious feat opened so many doors of opportunities for me and it empowered me socially, economically and intellectually. It instilled in me the culture of entrepreneurship and groomed me into the lady I am today, very confident and hardworking. Attending the Harvard Africa Business Conference in Boston Massachusetts in February 2011 gave me an opportunity to meet and learn from leaders and entrepreneurs from all over Africa including Zimbabwe’s Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Arthur Mutambara. It was an eye opener and inspired me to dream bigger beyond just having a Chemistry degree. I was challenged to develop a mindset of an entrepreneur and to look around me for business opportunities I could pursue. My most significant accomplishment has got to be the prestigious Wilson Evans Tennis Award that I was honored with in April 2011. I couldn’t believe my ears when Coach Allen Jackson called out my name as the 2011 female recipient of the Award. Being the first African and definitely the first Zimbabwean to get that award, I was completely humbled and proud at the same time for flying Zimbabwe’s flag on the international platform. My name will be hanging in Seabury Centre’s wall of fame for ever; indeed what an honor for me and my country!
What was your dream career path at Berea?
To attain my Bachelors in Chemistry but during my second semester, I realized my real passion was in Art and Fashion and because of that, I started taking drawing and painting classes to perfect my skills in art while still focusing on my major, Chemistry. What are your future plans? None academic wise, I plan to take my passion for fashion seriously and launch my own label before the end of 2012. I am already working on the pieces as of speaking. I am also working with Plan International on some projects that are still underway and my plan is to reach out to more districts in Zimbabwe with the “Because I am A Girl Campaign”, inspiring and empowering the girl child to dream bigger and equip them with tools to become self sufficient. When all is said and done, I would like to get married and become a mother.
What suggestions would you give to current Berea students?
Dare to dream big! When you have a passion for something; go for it and don’t allow anything to stop you. When I made a decision to return back to Zimbabwe, some of my friends both in Zimbabwe & USA thought I was absurd and tried to talk me out of it. But I was very adamant and stayed resolute to my vision and what I wanted out of my life. Looking back, I am glad to say I have no regrets. I may not be doing huge “Oprah Winfrey” kind of projects but um slowly expanding my horizons and in no time, I will be where I want to be. I hope in a few years time, I will be an inspiration to other international students and challenge them to return to their home countries and be the agents of change they aspire to see. Life is not all about “the American dream”, we too can be trend setters and make it big in our home countries. Change begins with us as individuals and it’s up to us to make an effort and be the change we aspire to see in our communities.
Source: Berea College Alumni Web Page
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