SEnC: A one stop shop for prospective students
- Wits University
A one stop shop is envisioned for Wits' Student Enrolment Centre.
Aside from ascending on the rankings of best Universities in the world by being research intensive institutions, universities also strive to attract the crème de le crop of students.
Annually, Wits receives thousands of applications from students across the globe, hoping to pave their way towards their academic and career success.
With about 36 000 undergraduate applications which have streamed in for the 2017 academic year already, the new Head of Student Enrolment Centre (SEnC), Doreen Musemwa, is now tasked with the responsibility of attracting and retaining the best students for Wits University who will be great ambassadors for the institution in the future.
As the Head of SEnC, she is responsible for making sure that the University gets the right recruits and making sure that the recruitment process is as pleasurable as possible for new students. She took office as Head of SEnC on 18 April 2016.
Musemwa’s vision is to turn SEnC into a one stop shop, making sure that her staff is competent to assist prospective students by efficiently responding to all queries related to admission requirements, financial support and accommodation.
Musemwa has a rich experience with the student population. She joined Wits in 2009 as an Accommodation Officer and in 2011 she played a key role with the setting up of a new residence, Wits Junction, which opened its doors on 1 July 2011 to its first intake of residents, students and visiting academics.
Prior to her current role, she was Cluster Residence Manager at Wits where she managed three undergraduate residences and one postgraduate residence with a total student count of 1120, as well as developing strategic plans which were in line with the University’s vision.
Her new role presents a new challenge for her, in order for her to get to know the University and its various structures better.
“I wanted a new challenge that would stretch my imagination and to further my knowledge of the University because I believe with residences you could ask me any question whilst I am sleeping and I would answer it. I took on this role, solely to get to know the University a bit better.”
She holds a Master of Business Administration from Milpark Business School, a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) degree from UNISA and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree from the University of Zimbabwe.
When she qualified for her BSc in 1998, specialising in Statisitics and Computer Science degree, she had hoped to become an Actuary. However, she developed a love for consultancy and joined the corporate sector where she moved between roles as Financial Advisor and Account Executive, amongst others.
Her passion for communication and love for people was ignited during this period. Musemwa says having worked in communication facilitating roles for several years, she has learnt that communication is a key within the workplace.
“Whatever I do, I believe communication is key. I do appreciate that if I communicate with my colleagues, I will be able to get things right, because through communication that is the only way I will get to know what is going on,” she says.