Netty Magura, a Zimbabwean scholar pursuing a Master of Global Management at Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, has built an academic career centered on governance and regional cooperation in Africa.
Her path to higher education included significant setbacks. After not passing her ordinary-level examinations, Magura worked in a restaurant and held other jobs before returning to school. She later passed the exams and completed her undergraduate education.
Magura subsequently pursued doctoral studies at the Pan African University Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences in Cameroon with support from a Pan African University scholarship. She completed a doctorate in governance and regional integration in March 2025 while also studying at Thunderbird.
At ASU, Magura is expanding her training through Thunderbird’s global management program. She said the skills from her doctoral and master’s studies complement each other and support her interest in addressing inequalities in African governance and encouraging greater integration among countries.
Magura also credited Thunderbird’s international learning environment with broadening her perspective on interconnected challenges and possible approaches to solving them.
Reflecting on her educational journey, she encouraged young African women interested in studying internationally to recognize the value of their backgrounds and experiences. She emphasized that diverse perspectives can contribute meaningfully to global classrooms and urged students to pursue ambitions beyond national borders.
Magura’s progression from an early academic setback to doctoral achievement and graduate study in the United States reflects the persistence that has shaped her educational journey.
Source: Arizona State University News, “Thunderbird at ASU student bridges governance and regional integration in Africa,” August 12, 2026.
