On December 9, 2021, the Africa Office hosted a certificate ceremony for the Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program (HSAFP) as many the program was held remotely over the past year.

Professor Tshilidzi, Vice Chancellor and Principal of University of Johannesburg, also HSAFP Fellow ’07, officiated the ceremony. He shared stories of his time at Harvard Business School where he did PLD 3. He shared that it was when he was awarded the fellowship and immersed himself into PLD that he learnt the importance of writing books and he started writing during that time and continues to do so. He encouraged fellows to write in their respective fields.

Fellows who had not had the opportunity to travel to campus nor meet their cohort in person were able to make the connections they would missed out on. Conversations were lively throughout the event and the intimate environment allowed people the opportunity to engage with most everyone around the table. Fellows expressed that they had felt honoured and were leaving the event with a sense of community and desire to offer support to the Center. Due to the current Covid-19 climate other fellows had to miss the event but we hope to have opportunities to engage all in the future. While brought about by the inconvenience of fellows not receiving their certificates on Campus, the Africa Office Director stated that the event had served as a good model of how the Office can welcome fellows back home to South Africa and use the event as an opportunity to learn more of career progressions fellows had made post the fellowship. We hope to form a tight-knit and active community.