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Some families pass down recipes. Others pass down traditions or surnames. In the Doubell–Boshoff family, they pass down something else: a deep, steady loyalty to the University of the Free State (UFS). And it shows. Across two families, three generations, and decades of campus life, they have earned an incredible 36 degrees from the university.

At the heart of this story is Daniëlle Doubell; young, bright, creative, and quietly impressive. She graduated with her master’s degree at the recent December graduation ceremonies. Her academic journey is closely tied to the world of drama and theatre arts – a space that reflects her energy, passion, and love of storytelling. And the family’s story is far from over. Her brother, Norman, will receive his degree at the April graduation ceremony next year, adding yet another chapter to this legacy.

Tradition of loyalty to the UFS

For Daniëlle, working at the university was not part of some grand plan – it started simply and practically. “I was a full-time master’s student who needed a job,” she says. The university offered opportunities that were only open to registered students, and she secured a position as a teaching assistant for the ePortfolio Development: Enterprising Your Degree (EDED) module. Two years later, she joined the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts as a junior lecturer, where she has been working part-time for the past year.

But the reason she stayed runs deeper than convenience. “This long tradition of loyalty to this institution is what prompted the decision to start studying here, so I would definitely say the same about working here,” she explains. “For generations, the university has been a positive and meaningful part of my family’s life, and my own experiences have only reinforced that.”

That sense of belonging started early. Daniëlle’s father, Dr Floris Brand Doubell, completed his PhD in Systematic Theology at the UFS and worked as a part-time lecturer for 17 years. As a child, Daniëlle often accompanied him to campus when he presented lectures. “From a young age, the university was a meaningful presence in my life,” she says. Her mother, Annelize de Lange, obtained her Nursing degree at the university, and both of her stepfathers studied here too – one in Theology and the other in Law.

There are stories that sound almost scripted. Daniëlle’s father and uncle, Willie Boshoff (her mother’s brother), met while studying Theology at the UFS. After six years of friendship, her uncle finally introduced her father to her mother. “The rest, as they say, is history,” she laughs.

Then there is Drama. Daniëlle, her cousin, her brother, and her fiancé all studied Drama and Theatre Arts at the UFS at around the same time – the first in the family to take that path. Daniëlle and her fiancé met in their first year in the department and have just completed their master’s degrees here together.

The academic footprint of the family is vast. One grandfather, Dr Theunis Louis Boshoff, worked as a consultant in Anaesthesiology within the Faculty of Health Sciences. Her other grandfather, Norman Walter Doubell, served as mayor of Bloemfontein and played an important role as a representative on both the University Council and Senate. Aunts include Erina van der Merwe, who worked at INEG, and Prof Estelle Boshoff, a former senior lecturer in Industrial Psychology at the UFS and now a professor at the University of Mpumalanga.

Education – simply part of family life

Education, Daniëlle says, is simply part of family life. “We often joke that while other families ask whether their children will be studying or not, in ours the question is always, ‘what are you studying, and where?’ No one was forced. Everyone simply wanted to learn.”

Carrying that legacy is not easy, but Daniëlle is carving out her own space. “The mark that has already been left by my family is most definitely a tough act to follow, but I would like to believe that I am trying my best to follow in their footsteps in my own way,” she says. “I see myself contributing and being part of the university for a very long time.”

And to future generations, her message is heartfelt and clear: “The UFS is a place that will stick with you, just like it stuck with all of us. Work hard and explore everything it has to offer. You will enjoy being part of it – it’s special.”