Rownok Urmi is no stranger to a challenge. When she started her Master’s degree with the Wellington School of Business and Government (WSBG), Rownok did not foresee a pregnancy, becoming a mother to twins, being a sole parent, or the COVID-19 pandemic. Those four experiences are extremely demanding on their own. Tally them up and add in postgraduate study and you get a recipe for building serious resilience—a strength she says she developed by necessity. Her boys are now toddlers and having completed her studies Rownok is ready to reflect on the road to her degree that she sums up simply and succinctly as: “nothing short of a rollercoaster ride”.

In 2019, Rownok started her Master of Professional Business Analysis (MBusAn), a postgraduate programme tailored to set someone up to move into a career as a business analyst. With a background in marketing, client experience, and human-centric design, the MBusAn was the perfect degree to upskill and level up her technical knowledge. Prompted by a rapidly changing business environment, Rownok was motivated by potential applications in the community for good. “Digital technology has permeated all aspects of our daily lives and we need to understand and harness its power to design applications that provide better and safe communities.”

Most student journeys follow a fairly typical trajectory. For Rownok, her route to finishing her degree was a little more circuitous. She paused her study midway through for her health to focus on her twin pregnancy, picking it back up again when her boys were infants.  A daunting task to anyone—and COVID-19 was rearing its head in early 2020. She admits it was hard. Very hard. “There were times of self-doubt and self-criticism accentuated by the fact that I was first and foremost a mother and my responsibilities towards the children came first.” Despite the obstacles, she was determined. “Even if things are not happening according to plan that doesn’t mean the end of it. Just keep pushing and one day you will get there.”

For Rownok, support was crucial to success. She is emphatic that “if you need extra support for anything don’t hesitate to ask your family, friends, and faculties. Get all the support you can.” While navigating new and sole parenthood and planning her return to study, organising care for her infant sons was her utmost priority. “I had a very hectic schedule the whole time but had a handful of friends and some community support—that kept me going.”

Rownok also credits University staff for being part of her support network and getting her through her studies. “Collaboration with my peers combined with support from my lecturers and supervisers helped me keep up. I cannot stress enough that the support from the University and WSBG was pivotal in completing the course. They not only provided me with necessary flexibility but always made a point to encourage me whenever I needed it the most. A kind word said with sincerity goes a long way. We all need mentors and I found mine in my university lecturers. I will always be grateful for all their efforts during my studies.”