MUT has officially bid farewell to Dr Connie Israel, the founding Executive Director of Institutional Advancement (IA), following her retirement after four years at the helm of the department. University leadership, staff, and external partners gathered on Monday, 26 October 2026, for an off-campus farewell function that was arranged by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, to honour Dr Israel’s contribution to the Institution’s growth, development, and strategic direction.
Reverend Siyabonga Malinga, Chairperson of the Mangosuthu University of Technology Former Student Christian Organisation (MUTFSCO) Alumni Network, highlighted Dr Israel’s pivotal role in bridging the gap between the University and its graduates. “Your commitment to institutional development, strengthening stakeholder relations, and creating meaningful opportunities for alumni to reconnect and engage with the Institution has made a significant impact,” Reverend Malinga said. “Your role in levelling the playing field and building bridges has helped strengthen a sense of belonging, partnership, and shared responsibility.”
Reflecting on her journey, Dr Israel recalled returning to MUT in 2022 after shifting her career focus from academia to advancement and philanthropy. Having previously worked at MUT 20 years ago, she described returning as coming back to “the place I considered home.”
However, establishing the Institutional Advancement department from scratch presented significant hurdles. “When I started, there were no rooms, not even an office, no resources, no rands, and no records,” Dr Israel shared.
Despite these humble beginnings and a period marked by leadership transitions, joking that she experienced four Vice-Chancellors in four years, Dr Israel successfully built an established, high-impact unit. Over four years, the IA team laid crucial foundational infrastructure, including securing bursaries, creating alumni networks, implementing online donation systems like the “Donate Now” button, and fostering strategic skills development and entrepreneurship partnerships.
A central theme of the farewell was Dr Israel’s mentorship style. Staff member Modjaji Baloyi thanked her outgoing leader for her trust and leadership approach. “Thank you for throwing us into the deep end so we could learn,” Baloyi expressed on behalf of the IA team.
Addressing her team directly, Dr Israel praised their resilience, agility, and growth during challenging times. “I made a deliberate choice to throw the IA team into the deep end so that you all swim independently while intersecting,” she noted. “You all became stronger.”
While celebrating the progress made, Dr Israel urged executive leadership to continue supporting the department’s foundational pillars: Fundraising and Development, Enterprise Development, and Alumni Relations. She emphasised that advancement requires taking a long-term view, as relationships and philanthropy yield transformative results over time.
Concluding her address with a call to continuous self-reflection and giving, Dr Israel invoked the words of St. Francis of Assisi: “For it is in giving that we receive.” “I wish you, IA, and MUT a future that outshines the past and the personal fulfilment of knowing that you individually and collectively, made it happen,” Dr Israel said.