Sunday May 12, 2013

Single mum juggles studies, work and children on her way to degree

Mission accomplished: Nik Noradriana posing at the convocation ceremony at Universiti Teknologi Mara in Shah Alam.

SHAH ALAM: For Nik Noradriana Thani Norzrul, 28, completing her masters degree was a mark of fresh beginnings.

Having started her Masters of Mass Communications at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) around the time of her divorce, the bubbly, single mother of two was pleased to earn a CGPA of 3.91.

“I had already planned to further my studies earlier, but then I had an even bigger sense of purpose. It was not all rainbows and sunshine juggling work, my children and studies, but there are others much worse off than I am.

“I just feel very blessed I was able to do it. I hope to pursue my PhD next,” she said at the UiTM convocation ceremony here yesterday.

Currently working as a mass communications lecturer at SEGi University, Nik Noradriana is also a passionate advocate of natural parenting.

“I work with advocacy groups to promote breast-feeding. In fact, I am a certified Malaysian Breast-feeding Peer Counsellor. I sometimes volunteer at OrphanCare to help look after babies.

“Somehow, I managed to find time to do what was needed to be done ... I guess you can say my main hobby is advocacy work,” she said.

Meanwhile, Azaria Tagaya, 28, earned the title of Best Masters of Mass Communications graduate with a CGPA of 3.87 for consistently maintaining good grades throughout her studies.

The aspiring TV show host was previously the best student of her undergraduate Mass Communica-tions class at UiTM.

Also present at the ceremony was Emkay Group founder Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar, who received an honorary doctorate in Business and Entrepreneurship from UiTM.

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