Li hits two birds with one stone

Student Nina Li has won the Best Campus Entrepreneur competition, run at UCT for the first time this year. The competition is an initiative of international student organisation AIESEC, and recognises the work of students running their businesses while studying and maintaining a good academic record.

Li is doing her final year in actuarial science and quantitative finance, and runs Snow Jewels, a business that makes beaded Swarovski crystal jewellery.

For winning the competition, Li received R 1 000, expert advice and mentorship from sponsors FNB, and lifetime membership of Biznetworks, the bank's commercial banking business unit.

Li said it was not difficult to juggle between the two as she spends between five to six hours a week on her work.

"When the concentration starts to decrease from studying, I spend my break making my jewellery," she explained.