November 10, 2021 • ISSUE 596

Motsei Masilo

Finding Meaningful Education

South African student Motsei Masilo is about to finish her online MBA degree and has already been accepted into the PhD program in management.
 
Motsei attended the University of Cape Town and earned a bachelor’s degree in social science psychology. For twenty years she worked for Roche Pharmaceuticals in various HR and management roles in South Africa, Europe, and India. She has also served on the boards of various organizations.
 
When her employer became a sponsor for the Maharishi Invincibility Institute in Johannesburg in 2015, Motsei learned the Transcendental Meditation® technique and fell in love with it.
 
During her career Motsei has attended a variety of leadership training programs, but she had always dreamed of pursuing an MBA. When she left Roche in 2019 she had no doubt she wanted to enroll at MIU, which she did in 2020. Motsei enjoyed the classes so much that she got up at 2:00 a.m. twice a week to participate in the classes happening live at MIU’s Fairfield campus.

At an award gala with her business development team at Roche in 2018

For the first time, I felt school had a meaning,” she said. “I realized how important it was to get immersed in one subject at a time. I also appreciate how the teachers have an interest in you getting a good grade and they encourage you to do better.”

During her studies at MIU, Motsei also gained a deeper understanding of the Transcendental Meditation technique and was able to incorporate its regular practice into her routine. “I could tell the difference,” she said. “I was more relaxed. Even stressful things were not stressing me anymore. I became more insightful and creative in a different way than I was before.”

While pursuing her education, Motsei also started an HR consulting business. One of her clients is the Maharishi Invincibility Institute, where she is helping to start a career center designed to prepare students for the corporate work environment from the moment they begin their studies. In the long run, Motsei’s goal is to add sustainability to her consulting business.