Riekie Vickers

On 21 September 2012 the lift in the Psychology Building on Bloemfontein Campus was dedicated to Riekie Vickers, a wheelchair-using student who passed away in 2011. He was a Master’s degree student in Psychology. Riekie’s parents, his best friend Sarah Shannon (a former UFS and CUADS student), staff members of CUADS and the Psychology Department gathered to celebrate Riekie’s life, and Sarah unveiled a bronze plate in Riekie’s memory. Riekie played a pivotal role to ensure that the University installed the lift in the Psychology Building and he was the first person to use the lift in 2010 when it was completed.

Riekie was diagnosed with a Nervous System Disorder as a child but did not let the challenges in his life derail him from following his dreams. He was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away in October 2011.