Alumni Profile: Vukosi Marivate (Tsogo 2003)

Vukosi Marivate (Tsogo 2003)

Alumni Profile Vukosi N. Marivate

When did you start and finish at Tsogo?

Started 1998 and finished in 2003

Where did you do your primary schooling?

Morekolodi Primary School (Yes I did the full Mmakau experience)

What further education institutions did you attend?

I obtained BSc degree in Electrical Engineering (Information) from Wits University . I then spent a year doing research to get my Masters degree in Electrical Engineering (Computational Intelligence) from Wits again. I am now enrolled for a PhD in Computer Science  at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA.

What do you currently do?

I am currently a PhD student for Computer Science at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. My focus being on Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. You can get more information from my website. I am a Fulbright Science and Technology Award Scholar – News. I worked as a researcher for the CSIR in the period between my Masters and starting my PhD. I also, happily, manage the group of volunteers who run the Tsogo Alumni online campaign. I do a lot web development work as a major hobby.

What is your inspiration?

My family, My Mentors,  Great engineers and scientists and other alumni. The Google guys, Steve Wozniak, David Bornstein,  Alex SuperTramp 🙂  The list if listed completely would be too long, but I just keep on learning from thousands of people.

Message to Alumni

Never stop learning. If you are not growing you are dying. Keep moving and trying out new things as life goes along. Once another learner from another public catholic school once told me this: “Get out of your comfort zone, being comfortable leads to complacency”. I learn from everyone!

Message to current Students

Luck is only for the over prepared. Work hard and appreciate those that you have now. Plan with your parents your steps through your young life and always be positive even in the face of complete failure. Leaders are those who are not afraid to fail knowing that they are going in the right direction that will lead them to success. They try their utmost best and if they fail they just stand up, dust themselves off and keep on moving.

What is/are your fondest memory/memories of Tsogo High School?

There are a lot of memories and as some say, lets not get to sentimental . The trips up the mountain once in a while are always a great nostalgic release. If you haven’t been up there you have missed out on a lot. I have had a number of chances to go back up there in the last few years. The last time was in June 2006 while at Tsogo attending a CISCO networking course. Picture below.

My last voyage up the mountain. View from the cross on the mountain. June 2006. Pictured are some classmates from Wits University and Me.

Significant Achievements

My first one I actually got while I was at Tsogo. I was selected as a representative for Camp Rising Sun in 2002 in New York USA. I am currently a Fulbright Scholar in the USA and I appreciate the opportunity that has been presented to me as a student and a cultural ambassador to my university and New Jersey community.

Connect with me

• My Website : http://www.vima.co.za
• My Blog: http://beyond.vima.co.za
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/vukosi
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vukosi

More Alumni Profiles

• Alumni Profile: Izimangaliso Surprise Malatjie (Tsogo 1986-88)
• Alumni Profile: Dr. HM Molamu (Tsogo 1980)
• Alumni Profile: Mpho Mokgadi (Tsogo 2004)
• Alumni Profile: Portia Victoria Mogosetsi (Tsogo 2003)
• Alumni Profile: Gabisile Simelane (Tsogo 1996)
• Alumni Profile: Kgomotso Sekhute (Tsogo 1986)
• Alumni Profile: Keamogetsoe Maroo (Tsogo 2002)
• Alumni Profile: Tshepo Kgobe (Tsogo 1991)

If you have an alumnus you would like to nominate please email us at tsogoalum@gmail.com or go to the Contact page and fill in the contact form.