GK Scholarships: Tatenda Dandara

Golden Key is happy to introduce Tatenda Dandara, one of Golden Key’s 2021 Outstanding Member Award winners. Tatenda studies a Bachelor of Arts Honours specializing in Linguistics at the University of Cape Town.

“I would like to express my gratitude for being awarded this Golden Key 2021 Outstanding Member Award and scholarship,” Tatenda says. “I have been a part of the Golden Key University of Cape Town Chapter since 2019, and this is my first award. Winning this award means so much to me, my peers at UCT, and my families in both my home country and country of permanent residence, Zimbabwe and South Africa, respectively.”

Tatenda is devoted to her education and hopes to continue studying to honor her family.

“I hope to continue my academic journey, up until the level of obtaining a Ph.D. someday,” Tatenda shares. “This is an especially meaningful goal for me as the first girl-child in my family to be pursuing postgraduate education. I am truly passionate about the gift of education and how it truly keeps on giving.”

She appreciates all the support she’s received throughout her academic journey.

“With the supportive network of the Golden Key International Honours Society and its welcoming Chapter at the University of Cape Town that connects students and role models, I have benefited from having my confidence uplifted and motivated in times where I felt most hopeless,” Tatenda mentions. “Despite the painful and isolating experience of an unexpected pandemic these past two years, I feel optimistic about the endless possibilities in my continued journey as an academic, leader and advocate for social justice and prosperity.”

Tatenda enjoys developing her research and writing skills.

“As a UCT Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow, I have had the opportunity to deeply reflect on and explore my research interests and develop my academic writing skills,” Tatenda reveals. “I am particularly enthusiastic about sociolinguistics and have expressed this in my involvement in numerous MMUF writing workshops, regional seminars, and in the MMUF’s annual Summer Research Training Program hosted by the University of Chicago.”

Tatenda plans to use her education to improve education and the awareness of African languages.

“From my academic interests in linguistics, I hope to contribute to the project of decolonizing education through the lens of language,” Tatenda says. “I am particularly passionate about the promotion of African languages as equally valuable communicators of intellect and hope to make contributions towards the development of effective multilingual language policies in education through my research. I strongly believe that transformation and decolonization in African education begin with us being able to use our own languages to write our futures.”

Thank you for being a part of the Golden Key family, Tatenda; we wish you the best of luck completing your bachelor’s!