Being a top achiever, Dr. Jamela Hoveni, completed the degree in only two years. Her research covered political and economic risks and stock market volatility. At age 39 she is one of only a few black women in the country to have a doctorate degree in economics.

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Her family recently hosted a graduation party for her at the Tzaneen Country Lodge. She told the Herald that she has always had the desire to further her studies to challenge herself. “The Ph.D. is the pinnacle of academic success. It is also the culmination of years of study,” she said. “I also wanted to prove to myself and others like myself, young black girls, that nothing is impossible.”

She has written multiple articles, and blogs and has been interviewed as an economics expert by various publications. Hoveni is born to a family of academics. Her mom is a retired teacher and her father, Dr. Ignatius Hoveni, a school principal, who also has an honorary doctorate. From a very young age, her parents instilled the principle that education is the key to success in her and her siblings. During graduation, she was praised for her determination and inspiration to others to continue furthering their studies.