A study at the Lancaster University Management School, United Kingdom, found that maternal influence is the leading factor over whether children stayed on at school and went to study at university.

The study, co-authored by Professor Ian Walker, found that this link is strongest between mothers and daughters, and these findings could not be more truthful for University of Zululand graduand, Anele Pearl Caluza, 24, who was named as a Top Achiever during her graduation this morning (Wednesday, 09 May 2017) during the University of Zululand’s (UNIZULU) Faculty of Arts graduation ceremony. Caluza obtained a Diploma: Public Relations Management.

“I was raised by a single mother who worked hard to ensure that I had everything I needed and we never felt the emotional gap of not having a father. I did face some challenges during my studies but my mom has always pushed me to my full potential. My mother prayed for me and was my rock,” said Caluza.

She said while she worked hard throughout her diploma studies, she did not expect to be one of the Top Achievers in her Faculty. “I faced during a challenge during my second year in one of the modules (Research Methodology) which had so much work and was practical and at the time, I was used to theoretical work. Although it was hard, I managed to pass it with a distinction. In fact, I passed all my modules throughout my diploma studies with distinctions,” said Caluza who added, “I wouldn’t say I’m smart. I am simply a hard worker”.

Caluza is currently doing her Batchelor of Technology in Public Relations Management. Asked how she and her family planned to celebrate such a huge feat, she said she had a feeling that her family was planning “something huge”.

She advised other young people and students to never believe, or let other people tell them that something is not possible. “When I got to university, I was told that my aspiration of passing all my subjects with flying colours was not possible. This prompted me to want to prove all the naysayers wrong and I did just that. I studied hard during my diploma studies. Before lectures, I would study the section we would learn that day and after lectures, would also study more. I would dedicate at least three hours a day outside lectures towards studying. I never went to bed without studying,” she said.