Ms Patience Chita embarks on her Master’s in Business Analytics at Arizona State University in the United States as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar. A proud NUST alumna, she carries her journey of excellence, leadership and service onto the global stage.
As Patience Chita begins her Master’s in Business Analytics at Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business in the United States as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) proudly celebrates one of its distinguished alumni whose journey continues to inspire.
Every student walks onto a university campus with dreams. Some dream of graduating, others of building successful careers. For Patience, NUST became the place where those dreams took shape and where a lifelong commitment to excellence, leadership, and service began.
A 2023 First Class Honours graduate in Business Management, Patience’s journey is one of resilience, continuous learning, and giving back. During her time at NUST, she attained an outstanding 35 distinctions and received several prestigious accolades, including the Banc ABC Prize, the Zacharia Tanee Prize, the Vice Chancellor’s Award, and multiple NUST Book Prizes in recognition of her exceptional academic performance and leadership.
Her pursuit of excellence continued beyond graduation when she was awarded a scholarship by the Institute of People Management of Zimbabwe (IPMZ), where she completed a Diploma in HR Analytics, further strengthening her passion for data-driven decision-making and organizational development.
Today, Patience is the Founder and Chair of Youth Access Hub, a youth-led organization committed to connecting young people with opportunities in education, employment, entrepreneurship, leadership, digital skills, mentorship, and personal development. Through this work, she continues to champion youth empowerment and collaborate with institutions that are creating pathways for young Africans to thrive.
Her passion for research has also earned international recognition. She is a published finance researcher, with her work featured in the International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) and indexed on Research Gate and RePEc. In 2025, her journey was featured in Empower Her: Chronicles of Strength, a magazine celebrating women whose resilience, leadership, and impact are transforming communities.
Committed to giving back to the institution that shaped her, Patience returned to NUST in 2025 to organize a successful public lecture for alumni, bringing together students and alumni to discuss career development, leadership, and opportunities beyond the classroom. The initiative reflected her belief that true success is measured not only by personal achievement but also by the willingness to empower others.
As she embarks on this exciting new chapter at Arizona State University, Patience hopes to deepen her expertise in business analytics and use data-driven solutions to address Africa’s development challenges while expanding opportunities for young people across the continent. She believes that innovation, research, and compassionate leadership can transform lives and communities.
Reflecting on her journey, Patience shares:
“One application can change the direction of your life. I never imagined that the dreams I nurtured at NUST would one day lead me to become a Mastercard Foundation Scholar. My advice to every student is to pursue excellence, remain curious, and never be afraid to apply for opportunities that seem beyond your reach. You are often more capable than you think.”