The Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) Student Centre was alive with inspiration and reflection on 5 November 2025, when Dr Luke Wood, President of California State University, Sacramento (Sac State), delivered a stirring public lecture on transforming university cultures to ensure that every student truly belongs and thrives.
Addressing a packed audience of students, staff, and community members, Dr Wood spoke passionately about inclusivity and the importance of creating campuses that welcome and support students who have historically felt marginalised or overlooked. Drawing from his own journey as a first-generation college student and former foster youth, Dr Wood emphasised the need for institutions to provide both opportunity and belonging, a message that deeply resonated with the MUT community.
Among those most moved was MUT’s Student Representative Council (SRC) President, Mdumiseni Chonco, who publicly committed to expanding cultural immersion opportunities for MUT students. “Inspired by President Luke Wood’s inclusive approach towards making students’ experiences more productive, memorable, and successful, I feel that as a President I would honour my responsibility by ensuring that our students are able to experience Sac State, and that even our sports teams may get a chance to play against Sac State teams,” he said to enthusiastic applause.
Chonco’s words captured the audience’s collective sentiment, which included many young people eager to explore the world beyond South Africa’s borders. For them, studying abroad represents more than just academic advancement; it is a bridge to global citizenship, cross-cultural understanding, and new pathways to employment and innovation.
This growing spirit of curiosity aligns with MUT’s revitalised Cultural Immersion Programme, now under the dynamic leadership of Professor Nokuthula Sibiya, MUT’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal. The programme aims to prepare students to engage with international peers, gain new skills, and understand global strategies for addressing youth challenges such as under-employment and job insecurity. This year, there have been two international cultural immersion programmes: one led by Professor Sibiya, and another by Dr Paulette Naidoo, Acting Dean of Students.
As the lecture concluded, it was evident that Dr Wood’s message had sparked something powerful, a renewed determination among MUT’s leaders and students alike to build bridges across continents. The lecture ended not only with applause but with a shared dream: that MUT and Sac State will continue to open doors for mutual learning, collaboration, and cultural exchange in the years ahead.