Shudufhadzo Musida celebrates Columbia University graduation
The former Miss South Africa obtained a master’s degree in international affairs, and fulfilled a childhood dream in the process.
Miss South Africa 2020 Shudufhadzo 'Shudu' Musida is celebrating another major milestone in her career.
She recently graduated from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in New York City.
Musida says she has dreamed about living in the 'Big Apple' since the age of 8. She started applying to Columbia University after matric but did not finish.
"A while later, I received a letter from them encouraging me to complete my application. I still have that letter somewhere in my room," she said.
"At 18, just receiving a letter with a New York address from an institution that has shaped some of the world’s most extraordinary minds did not feel real to me. It felt distant. Bigger than me. Almost inaccessible."
Destiny had other plans, and Musida went on to win one of SA's biggest beauty pageants and, less than a year later, obtained a BA Honours in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand.
However, she was not done. She moved to NYC in 2024 to fulfil her dream of living and studying there. Musida faced uncertainty and made many sacrifices, yet she never stopped believing.
"This journey has, by no means, been easy... But today, I stand on the other side of it all, filled with gratitude."
Columbia University shared a 'Graduation Reflections' post highlighting Musida time at the university.
"People so warm and so wonderful, I would invite them to my wedding one day," the beauty queen said.
"As an international student, loneliness can creep in quietly. This trip reminded me that community is not just possible, it is something you can find, even far from home. I fell in love with that idea all over again.”
Musida also talked about her journey in a new episode of the 'Mindful Mondays' podcast. She urged people not to wait for their dreams to happen, but to start preparing for them.
"I think one of the hardest things about chasing your dream is continuing to prepare for it even when there’s no evidence yet that it’s coming. But I’ve learned that nobody is going to believe in your dream the way you’re supposed to believe in it," she said.
"So you keep showing up. You keep doing the work. You keep speaking against the inner critic. You prepare before the opportunity arrives."
Graduate Reflections 🎓
— Columbia | SIPA (@ColumbiaSIPA) May 14, 2026
As an international student, Shudufhadzo (Shudu) Musida MPA '26 learned that she can find community anywhere. And what better place than NYC! pic.twitter.com/h8ymhU1XfL
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Image credit: Instagram/@shudufhadzomusida, @columbia.sipa, areejqadeer