Vega students elected to sit on BCSA’s first student council

Vega, a brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE), is proud to announce that 11 of its students will form the Brand Council South Africa (BCSA) Student Council, which will contribute towards the BCSA’s vision of creating a unified voice for the professional branding community in South Africa.

The BCSA Student Council is a first for South Africa’s branding industry, and was established to provide young people with a seat at the table, giving students a platform to participate and have their say at  an industry level.

“It’s vital that we encourage more young people, especially those at tertiary level trying to enter the industry, to get involved and be aware of the issues facing the branding community at large,” says Anli Grobler, Senior Academic Navigator and BCSA board member. “We also have a responsibility to nurture the next generation of professionals, to ensure the industry’s sustainability going forward.”

Get to know the 2017 BCSA Student Council

 

 Moosa Molibeli, currently studying a BCom Honours in Strategic Brand Management, believes that her “weird perspective on the world” is what sets her apart, and describes herself as the perfect balance between an analytical and creative thinker.

Marvyn Msipha is currently in his final year of studying a BCom in Strategic Brand Management and says that he has always had an interest in understanding what makes people tick and their reasoning behind making decisions, leading to his love of business and marketing.

Sarah Connolly is a third year student studying a BA in Strategic Brand Communication, and says that her love of travel is responsible for opening her eyes to a variety of different cultures and customs, which helps inform a more well-rounded view of the world.

Matthew Smit says he chose to study a BCom in  Strategic Brand Management because of his interest in how detail-oriented the world of marketing and branding is, and how this impacts brands and businesses.

Juahara Khan is a third-year student currently studying a BA in Strategic Brand Communication. Her interests include micro-blogging, photography and social media. Khan believes that it’s important to hold on to your dreams, and to use these to find your purpose in life.

Jayce Davin is a third-year BA Creative Brand Communication student.  “As a creative my work is didactic, my thoughts eclectic and my executions holistic,” he says. When he isn’t reading, playing sport or drinking copious amounts of coffee, Davin dedicates his time to running an educational NPO.

Siyabulela Mafanya is currently studying a BBA in Brand Building and Management , and is an active member of the Vega community, having been a member of the Vega Student Liaison Body for two years. She describes herself as resilient and optimistic with an adventurous soul.

Rob Crawford is a designer, musician and “general odd-ball” studying a BA in Creative Brand Communications. Along with being the co-founder of a start-up clothing brand, Crawford also released his own Electro pop album in 2014 and initially studied sound engineering before realising design was his real passion.

Bernice Puleng Mosala is a writer and performer, studying towards a BA in Creative Brand Communications. Mosala was awarded a trip to New York for a creative event strategy she developed for Viacom.

Kieran Kohler is currently studying a BCom in Strategic Brand Management, and has a love for tech and understanding how things are made, how they work and how they impact people. He describes himself as a perfectionist and sees unsolved problems as a personal challenge.

Zama Makhaza is a 21-year-old second-year BA Strategic Brand Communications  student with an inquisitive mind and a penchant for taking roads less travelled. She enjoys sharing knowledge and working with others who can help open her mind to new ideas.

 Vega is currently the only higher education institution that is part of the BCSA, but the organisation aims to attract more schools and students to take part in the future.

“While the BCSA Student Council is currently made up entirely of students from Vega, the aim is to work towards attracting students from a variety of institutions to join, in order to increase student involvement across the industry,” says Grobler.