How my scholarship enabled me to pursue an MBA

Warwick Business School offers a range of scholarships available to those Change Makers whose diverse backgrounds and interests set them apart.

Lumnandi, an Executive MBA (London Evening) participant, shares her experience after receiving our Inspiring Females scholarship and being selected to become a member of the 30% Club.

Tell us about yourself and your background. Are you currently working?

My name is Lumnandi Dambuza I’m originally from South Africa. I moved to the UK about a year and a half ago. I’m a qualified Chartered Accountant and I’m currently the Sales Business Manager for EMEA Sales at Citibank UK. 

Why did you decide to study at WBS?

I was at a point in my career where I wanted to expand my business knowledge, improve my knowledge of the global economy, and grow my network from both a local and global perspective. I wanted to equip myself with the required leadership and technical skills to be able to progress in my career.

WBS is a reputable Business School, with a good MBA ranking and seemed like an obvious choice for me. I also like that it offers face-to-face lectures, which is an option not available at many other business schools. This allowed me to interact with the rest of the cohort and grow my network. I have a strong finance background and I liked that the WBS MBA included topics that I had not been exposed to in my undergraduate degrees, such as Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation. The overall programme is well-balanced, and I particularly like that I’m able to gain global exposure through the international modules.

What did the WBS scholarship enable you to do?

I was so grateful to have been awarded the Change Makers Inspiring Females scholarship, which has helped me pursue my MBA with Warwick. The scholarship allowed me to study with less worry about tuition fees. It would have been very difficult for me to fully take on the financial burden of an MBA, as it is costly. The scholarship has given me peace of mind to focus on my studies. 

How is your course going so far?

The last couple of months have been intense, with trying to balance work, school and my 11-year-old daughter. But it has been so rewarding, as I’ve learnt so much and met amazing people. I’m at a point where I feel like I’ve struck a balance, my manager’s support has been crucial and I’m able to manage my time more effectively compared to when I started.

The only surprise is how adaptable the learnings have been, in that it’s very applicable to my work and life in general. I’m able to leverage some of the content I learnt in class to address some of the challenges I face at work, this has been particularly useful as it has allowed me to apply the knowledge I’ve acquired so far. We also have social events regularly, which have been fun and allow us to socialise between modules! 

What would you say to any female looking to apply for your course?

I would encourage females to apply for this course because it has been an awesome and insightful experience so far. I notice that the course or at least my cohort is diverse from a gender perspective but there’s a huge opportunity for racial diversity. As a recipient of the WBS Scholarship, I believe WBS prides itself on a diverse learning experience whether it be from a gender, race or professional background. WBS also offers other forms of funding such as student loans etc. 

I am in the evening cohort and this structure has helped me manage the work-life balance element, as I’m able to spend quality time with my daughter when she’s home from boarding school over the weekend. The Programme team is great and has been very supportive throughout this journey. 

Are you ready for a change? Discover more about Warwick Business School’s range of scholarships.