Born in Botswana and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jessica Khupe ‘26 MBA has family ties to the University of St. Thomas dating back to the early 1990s.
Her uncle, Dr. Keith Bothongo ’92, earned both his MBA and master’s in international management degrees at St. Thomas before founding Bothongo Group in Sandton, South Africa, which oversees ventures in commercial and residential real estate, agriculture, aviation and hospitality.
Khupe spent seven years working at Bothongo Group as a marketing coordinator and brand manager, an experience that, along with her uncle’s success, made St. Thomas’ Opus College of Business a natural choice for turning her passion for fashion design into a viable business.
“What I learned from my uncle was to build a legacy,” said Khupe, who spent part of her childhood in St. Paul. “St. Thomas was top of mind when I thought about business schools that I could go to really advance myself as a business leader.”
At the Opus College of Business, Khupe is learning to translate her creative visions into a fashion business through mentorship, networking with local entrepreneurs, and courses on building strong business systems. This includes topics from operations and marketing strategies to financial planning and growth management.
She has applied these lessons directly to launching her fashion brand.
Since 2010, Khupe has designed garments, studied fabrics, created custom pieces for private clients and in 2012, earned a bachelor’s degree from Linea Academy, a South African fashion college. She launched House Khupe in 2024, after starting her MBA, and she hopes to merge her creative work with a sustainable business model.
Through courses like “Storytelling for Influence,” Khupe has developed stronger communication and leadership skills, gaining confidence in decision-making and problem-solving.
“You cannot have a successful business without having the right people involved,” Khupe said. “Being at St. Thomas has given me the opportunity to land mentorship deals with prominent business figures here in Minneapolis.”
When she first arrived at St. Thomas, Khupe said she lacked confidence in public speaking. A course called “Storytelling for Influence” changed that, helping her to learn to speak more clearly and persuasively.
“I learned how to present myself as a speaker, how to influence others, make decisions, and become more well-rounded,” she said.
Today, she serves as vice president of networking for the Graduate Business Alumni Board at St. Thomas and works in the university’s digital accessibility office, training faculty, staff and students to make course materials and media accessible to all learners.
“As a digital accessibility ambassador, I champion inclusive learning environments,” Khupe said. “We make sure that digital content is accessible to people who are either blind, have low vision, or have learning disabilities.”
She hopes one day to collaborate with her sister, Minnesota-based dancer Tumelo Khupe, and her brother, who studied apparel technology.
“We’re all creatives, and that’s why it’s really important for me to focus on the business acumen part of it because as much as we all like doing this, how are we going to survive?” she said. “I have a vision of tying the creative spirit that myself and my siblings have into a business that we can develop together to further create legacy.”
To future Tommies, “make the most of the relationships that you build here and the people who you meet here because you never know where those relationships could take you,” Khupe added. “Study very hard and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.”
