Can one person’s educational journey through adversity truly change every barrier and earn a doctorate when the odds are stacked against them?
When I sat down to listen to Dr Tracy Mpofu speak, I realised I didn’t fully understand just how significant her journey was - until I thought about where she started. Zimbabwe is a country known for its rich culture and strong sense of community, which I could interpret from Dr Mpofu’s words, but it is also a place marked by political instability, economic hardship, and limited access to educational resources.
For anyone growing up in rural Zimbabwe, thinking of being educated to a doctoral level is uncommon, and becoming a Doctor of Education, almost unimaginable. Schools often lack funding, infrastructure, and up-to-date materials, and opportunities for higher education are scarce. So when Tracy opened her talk with “Who would have thought that a little girl from Zimbabwe would one day be called Dr Mpofu?” I felt the weight of what she had overcome.
As Tracy spoke, I was struck by how deeply personal her connection to education is. She described education as the thing that “saved” her, turning a depressed child into someone who could dream and achieve. After moving to the UK in 2004, she immersed herself in education, working and studying for over twenty years, on any available funded routes - driven by the belief that learning could transform lives, and her life.
What stayed with me most was how her personal experiences shaped her academic focus. During her undergraduate degree, she faced instances of racism in academia, which later became central to her EdD research on the experiences of Black graduates in Higher Education. Yet she also highlighted the positive influences along the way in the form of supportive teachers, inspiring mentors, and opportunities that helped her build confidence.
During the session, she shared that her doctoral journey was far from straightforward. She began her EdD proposal just as COVID-19 disrupted the world. Weeks went by when she couldn’t bring herself to look at her work, and she candidly shared how she struggled with imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Listening to her speak so openly about these moments made her journey feel both real and relatable. What kept her going, she explained, was the determination to prove to herself that all her sacrifices and hard work were worth it.
Before concluding, Dr Tracy stated plans to return to Zimbabwe to eventually establish a secondary school and give back to the community that shaped her and create opportunities for future generations. Her story reminds us that education is not just a personal achievement, it is a way to empower communities and transform lives. So, what does it really take to become a doctor against all odds? Someone coming from a rural background, from a country with limited resources, or even navigating a tough doctoral journey, can always look up to her and see what’s possible - with determination, resilience and the support of a community that believes in the power of education.