Meet the Lourens, a US-based pair of University of Pretoria (UP) alumni: Andre Lourens obtained a BCom (Hons) Informatics in 2010 and his wife, Estelle, graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Drama in 2011. They met at UP and later relocated to the US.

Andre is the Executive Director of Data Analytics and Innovation at Morgan Stanley in New York.

“I love the responsibility of helping to transform our department and firm into a data-driven organisation while having the privilege of overseeing a talented team,” he says about his role. “We get to solve real-world problems and help the firm manage risk.”

He credits his alma mater for giving him a top education.

“I obtained a fantastic degree that provided me with the technical and business skills to succeed,” he says. “But it also pushed me to go beyond what I thought were my own limits.”

Andre believes that his education has set him apart from other graduates in the same field.

“I learnt how to persevere through tough deadlines and competing priorities; this is something that you are faced with every day in the work environment,” he says. “I also learnt that nothing is impossible.”

Estelle was a nursery school and dance teacher, before taking some time off to be with her family, and remarks on the difference in the culture and classroom dynamics.

“The curriculum and grading system is rather different and classes tend to be bit smaller. In general, adjusting to the culture in the US was a combination of leaning into finding similarities such braai versus BBQ. The culture also differs somewhat between states such as Texas versus New York or even California. California has a hint of the Cape, while Texas is a better reflection of South Africa overall. We have made it our mission to teach those close to us all about socialising over a potjie and rugby.”

She acknowledges that getting her qualification was not easy, saying it was both challenging and rewarding.

“Managing late-night rehearsals with early-morning classes and test preparations was not fun at all, but having the support of other students in the faculty made a difference.”

Now as an alumna, she believes that it is important to network.

“Support is vital for career success and often becomes the differentiator,” she says. “Everyone, no matter how successful they are, needs a network to succeed and we should be that for one another.”

Andre expressed his excitement about being part of the UP-US Foundation, which assists alumni and friends of UP to give back financially in the most tax-effective manner. He says coming to the US is a risky endeavour and often comes with a great deal of uncertainty about one’s future prospects.

“As a graduate of UP, I am eager to help build a stronger network for South Africans in New York so that we can be a support system for one another as well as the new generation,” he says.