Model with brains: Outgoing Miss Tourism Zimbabwe graduates Ashley Morgan
Ashley Morgen

Ashley Morgen

Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
MISS Tourism Zimbabwe Ashley Morgen who was among the 2 423 students capped by President Mugabe at the National University of Science and Technology’s 23rd graduation ceremony in Bulawayo recently says she wants to venture into entrepreneurship.

The beauty queen who graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree in Marketing described being capped by President Mugabe as an honour saying it was time to put into practice, what she learnt for four years at the university.

“For now, I want to launch my beauty parlour business which I’ve been working on these past months. It’ll be named Black Diamond beauty parlour.

“Venturing into entrepreneurship has always been a dream through the people I look up to. However, I still want to do corporate work in order to gain industry experience. This will also help me in my next degree,” said Morgen.

The Victoria Falls-born beauty said the degree dovetailed with modelling perfectly adding that graduating showed critics that models were also intelligent.

“My graduation threw out the stigma that models are brainless, lack ambition or direction. I’ve represented my country well as a tourism ambassador internationally and held my reign with dignity and also walked away with an academic qualification.

“I want to continue to sell that brand to other models,” said Morgen.

Not revealing much, Morgen described her journey through university as rough, but exciting.

Ashley Morgen 3 Ashley Morgen 2

“It was a bumpy but interesting ride; each turn came with its own lessons. Some pressures came from different directions as some thought one of the duties was more important than the other. But I’m happy I hung onto to the pressure and made both (school and modelling) work.”

Being crowned Miss Tourism Zimbabwe last year posed a difficult time for her as she was in her final year at Nust.

“The most difficult time was the final year when I was doing my dissertation. I was a bit behind since I left the previous semester earlier than scheduled to contest.

“To be honest, I’d the right teammates as my friends and classmates pushed me through until the end. My supervisor couldn’t have been more understanding and for that, I’m grateful,” she said.

She said she now appreciates the value of education, especially after coming to the realisation that many aspire to attain a degree, but fail to do so because of lack of funds.

“I got to appreciate the value of education and family after going through varsity, seeing that so many wish for the chance to do so but never have it. I’m grateful to my parents for making sure I was in class with no hiccups through the four years and to everyone I ever studied with.”

As she prepares to hand over her crown next month, Morgen said she has her eyes set on participating in an African pageant. She will also be concentrating on launching her Black Diamond parlour as well as a hair salon and grooming school in Victoria Falls.

Turning to her reign, the beauty said she was thankful to God for the guidance as she managed to conduct her duties without any hindrance.

“My reign was good. God opened many doors for me and l’m forever thankful. To the next queen, my advice is that she needs to be bold and shouldn’t lose herself.”

 

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