- Dr Phaphama Tshisikhawe graduated with a Doctorate in Business Administration from TUT on October 14, 2026
- Tshisikhawe grew up in a family of eight and left a stable job to pursue journalism studies at TUT in 2006
- Financial hardship during her student years forced her to spend nights in campus restrooms and auditoriums
A woman who once had no bed to sleep in while attending university has graduated with a doctorate from the very institution where she struggled to survive.
Source: Facebook
Dr Phaphama Tshisikhawe, the spokesperson and head of public and media relations at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), received her Doctorate in Business Administration on October 14, 2026, completing a journey that stretches back nearly two decades.
Growing up as one of eight children, Tshisikhawe understood early that education was the clearest path out of limited circumstances. Her parents, despite having modest means, pushed their children to stay in school.
From Advertising to Auditorium Floors
In 2006, she took a leap that many would consider risky, walking away from a steady position at The Creative Counsel, a South African advertising and branding agency, to enrol for journalism studies at TUT's Soshanguve Campus. Financial strain quickly followed.
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At her lowest point, she had no fixed place to sleep and spent nights in campus restrooms and auditoriums, determined not to abandon her studies.
That perseverance paid off. She obtained a journalism diploma in 2008, a Bachelor of Technology degree in 2009, followed by an Honours degree in Media Studies and a Master's degree in Organisational Leadership before embarking on her doctoral research.
Her professional rise ran parallel to her academic climb. Tshisikhawe joined TUT as a journalism intern in 2008 and worked her way through roles including alumni communication specialist and brand and communication specialist before stepping into her current position as the university's spokesperson.
She also gained experience through internships at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and worked at Power FM.
Balancing the Books After Hours
Completing a doctorate while managing a senior communications role demanded strict personal discipline. She devoted evenings and weekends to her research, consistently choosing academic commitments over social engagements.
"When you knock off from work, you hit the books," she said, describing the deliberate trade-offs her progress required.
Her thesis, titled *A Framework for the Integration of Artificial Intelligence into Digital Marketing at Selected Universities of Technology in Gauteng*, examined how universities of technology in Gauteng are incorporating artificial intelligence into their digital marketing practices.
Two articles drawn from the research have been submitted to journals accredited by South Africa's Department of Higher Education and Training.
Kenyan woman graduates in US
In other news, TUKO also highlighted facts about Wangari Gachu, a Kenyan woman in the US who graduated with a master’s degree while raising her four-year-old child.
She credited her husband’s late-night support and sacrifices for helping her pursue her dream, and dedicated the milestone to her child, writing: “Mama did this for both of us.”
Source: TUKO.co.ke