TERTIARY EDUCATION 

BSocSc (University of the Free State, 2017-2020) 
Bachelor of Social Science degree Majoring in Industrial Psychology and Political Science, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein. 

BA Hons cum laude (University of the Free State, 2021) 
Bachelor of Arts Honours degree specialising in History, University of the Free State. Passed with distinction. 

MA Specialising in History (University of the Free State, 2022-2023) 
Research Master’s Degree specialising in History, University of the Free State. Dissertation titled Tommy Atkins in South Africa: First-hand accounts of the experiences of British soldiers during the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902. Passed with a mark of 72%. 

Certificate in Copy-Editing and Proofreading (University of the Witwatersrand, 2023) 
Certificate of competence in copy-editing and proofreading through the University of the Witwatersrand. 

Johan Bergh Historia Award (2020) 
Awarded as best third-year History student at the University of Free State. 

Research Fellowship (UFS History Department 2024-2026) 
Appointed as a Research Fellow for the period May 2024 – April 2026. 

War Museum of the Boer Republics: 2017 – present 
Louis Venter joined the War Museum of the Boer Republics in 2017 as a Museum Assistant. Since 2023, he has been the Head of the Education Division in the Museum responsible for creating educational content, exhibitions and coordinating outreach programmes to universities and schools, as well as to cultural and heritage organisations. He is also Head of the J.D. Kestell Library at the Museum responsible for the management of the approximately 7,000 volumes in the Library’s collections, as well as assisting scholars and members of the public with research. 

University of the Free State: 2021 – present 
Louis joined the staff of the University of the Free State in 2021 as the tutor for the History Department for modules HIST 2614, HIST 2624, HIST 3718 and HIST 3728 between 2021–2023. He was also an assistant-marker for modules HIST 1514, HIST 1614 and HIST 2614 during 2022–2023. In 2024, he was appointed as part-time lecturer responsible for the module HIST 1534: “Introduction to the History of the World”. Since May 2024, Louis has been appointed as a Research Fellow within the History Department at the UFS, responsible for producing academic research and providing academic supervision to postgraduate students. 

Gale Publishing International: 2023 – 2024 
Louis Venter is the 2023/24 South African library ambassador for Gale Publishing International, a UK and US based publishing house that specialises in digitised archives and academic publications. This role includes liaison with university libraries, hosting lectures and workshops, and creating educational and social media content to promote the use of the digitised archives. 

Accredited Publication 
Venter, L. and Wessels, A. “British Soldiers’ Anglo-Boer War experiences as recorded in their diaries”, South African Journal of Cultural History 36(2), Dec 2022, pp. 63-83. 

Forthcoming Publications 
Venter, L. “Imperial legacies: The interconnected histories of the British Empire in South Africa and India, 1795-1903” in Indian participation in the South African War. Bloemfontein: War Museum of the Boer Republics, 2024 (Book chapter). 

Venter, L. Oelofse, M. and Van Zyl, J. “The Composition of the British Forces during the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902: A Military and Social-historical Overview”, Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies (Submitted March 2024; under review). 

Addresses delivered 

Friends of the War Museum, July 2023, “A day in the life of a British soldier during the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902”. 

University of the Third Age, March 2023, “Prisoner of War Art during the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902”.  

Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (SAAWK) Studente-Simposium, February 2024, “Eerste-handse ervaringe van Britse soldate tydens die Anglo-Boereoorlog, 1899-1902”. 

Conferences Attended 

Conference on history of violence against women and children hosted by the War Museum in collaboration with the UFS Department of Gender and Africa Studies, November 2022. 

Student Symposium hosted by the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (SAAWK), February 2024. 

Friends of the War Museum: Secretary, focussing on organising events and lectures to commemorate the Anglo-Boer War. 

Mountain Club of South Africa: Committee member (Free State Section), focussing on organising and leading hiking expeditions across Southern Africa. 

Rhapsody Orchestra; Volunteer with the Rhapsody Community Orchestra in Bloemfontein assisting with administrative tasks. 

Brandkop Nature Conservancy; Volunteer at the Brandkop Nature Conservancy, helping to clean up and maintain the footpaths in the conservancy. 

Dr C. Masakure, Head of Department, History, UFS, masakurec@ufs.ac.za 

Dr M.M. Oelofse, Senior Lecturer, History, UFS, oelofsem@ufs.ac.za 

Dr V.R. Heunis, Head: Collections Management, War Museum, vicky@anglo-boer.co.za