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17 April 2018

 PHOTOS: Graduation Ceremonies

Mistakes are powerful; train yourself to embrace and learn from them in order to experience the supreme emancipation that comes with life’s downfalls and victories. This is what the 2018 April graduation ceremonies were all about. This profound thought was instilled by the likes of Dr Anthony Turton, a leader in the field of water as a business risk and opportunity. Dr Turton, an Affiliated Professor in the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State (UFS), was one of the keynote speakers at this year’s inspirational April graduation ceremonies on the Bloemfontein Campus.

A total of 4 388 qualifications in the form of Certificates and Higher Certificates, Diplomas, as well as Bachelor’s and Honours degrees, were awarded and conferred on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus from 9 to 13 April 2018. These qualifications were awarded to graduates in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Theology, Law, Education, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences, the Humanities, and the South Campus University Access Programme. 

Guest speakers encourage graduates
Addressing Health Sciences graduates, Anita van der Merwe, Professor and Executive Head of the Department of Nursing and Midwifery in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University, said graduates needed to have compassion for other people. “As health practitioners, we should live and work with compassion, which means truly understanding the suffering of others.”
 
Another strong message emerging from the graduation ceremonies was: “Each person will experience the journey of life differently, but when we let our light shine, we unconsciously allow others to do the same”. This message was shared by Miss Deaf SA for 2017/18, Chantelle Pretorius, in her address to graduates from the Faculty of Education.

“Graduates in the Faculty of Law should regard themselves from now on as having well-trained minds that shall be instruments of liberation and social justice,” said Projects and Campaigns Manager of Corruption Watch, Zola Valashiya.
 
Deputy President of the Association of Black Accountants in Southern Africa, David Abbey, further encouraged graduates from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences to focus their ideas and interests onto their goals until they are reached. He added: “In order for graduates to be successful in any endeavour, they must concentrate their attention intensely on what they want.”

Also addressing graduates from the same faculty, Brand Pretorius, former CEO of McCarthy Limited, motivated them with the following words: “The biggest danger for most of us is that we aim too low, and we achieve it. It is unacceptable to be satisfied with being ‘just okay’.” 

Tshegofatso Setilo, Assistant Director of the University Access Programme on the South Campus, motivated graduates to surround themselves with people who are smarter than them, who are humble, who are kind and hard-working.

Addressing graduates from the Faculty of the Humanities, Dr Nthabeleng Rammile, Deputy Chairperson of the UFS Council, said: “I want to challenge our graduates to go out and live their dreams. You owe it to yourselves.” 

Graduation Speeches:

Tshego Setilo 9 April Graduation Ceremony

David Abbey 12 April 2018 Graduation Ceremony

The value of listening
Dr Khotso Mokhele, UFS Chancellor, encouraged graduates to be the best that they can be – even if their roles or jobs require them to carry the casualties of someone else, “do it with your chest”, he said. He said graduates needed to master the skill of listening in order to effectively reflect and internalise the lifelong lessons that were delivered to them at the April graduation ceremonies.

Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, said graduates had the power and responsibility to make a positive change in social society. He further added that graduates were subjected to expectations to go out and make a positive change in the world. He urged graduates to help create an environment that South Africans could all feel proud of.

Talking at the final session of the week-long graduation ceremonies, Hannes van Wyk, Kovsie alumnus and presenter of Kwêla on KykNet, said: “Don’t take everything too seriously, there is a great joy in freedom, and freedom only ever comes from letting go.”

Another highlight 
UFS Student Representative Council members, Brady MacPherson, Ntombi Nhlapo, Sonwabile Jongisizwe Dwaba, and Tammy Fray set a great example for fellow students, as they formed part of the elite group – the alumni. They, along with other 2018 graduates, had the honour of being awarded their degrees throughout the week of 9-13 April 2018.


Recorded Livestream of the Graduation Ceremonies:

Monday 9 April 2018

Description: 1. Health Sciences new Tags: Bloemfontein graduation ceremonies, Dr Khotso Mokhele, Prof Francis Petersen, Dr Anthony Turton, UFS Graduations, Hannes van Wyk, Kwela, David Abbey, Zola Valashiya, Chantelle Pretorius

Faculties of Health Sciences and Theology and Religion and South Campus: University Access Programme

 

WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 9 April 2018 (morning session)
WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 9 April 2018 (afternoon session)
 

“As health practitioners, we should live and work with compassion, which means truly understanding the suffering of others.” 
- Prof Anita van der Merwe

 “Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, who are humble, who are kind and hard-working.”
- Tshegofatso Setilo

Tuesday 10 April 2018

Description: 1. Law 2018 Tags: Bloemfontein graduation ceremonies, Dr Khotso Mokhele, Prof Francis Petersen, Dr Anthony Turton, UFS Graduations, Hannes van Wyk, Kwela, David Abbey, Zola Valashiya, Chantelle Pretorius

Faculty of Law and Faculty of Education

WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 10 April 2018 (morning session)
WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 10 April 2018 (afternoon session)


“Law students should regard themselves from now on as having well-trained minds that shall be instruments of liberation and social justice.”
- Zola Valashiya

“Each person will experience the journey of life differently, but when we let our light shine, we unconsciously allow others to do the same.”
- Chantelle Pretorius

Wednesday 11 April 2018

Description: 1. Natwet new Tags: Bloemfontein graduation ceremonies, Dr Khotso Mokhele, Prof Francis Petersen, Dr Anthony Turton, UFS Graduations, Hannes van Wyk, Kwela, David Abbey, Zola Valashiya, Chantelle Pretorius

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 11 April 2018 (morning session)
WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 11 April 2018 (afternoon session)

The power of integrity – let your moral compass be your guide in times of great uncertainty.” 
- Anthony Turton

Thursday 12 April 2018

Description: 1. EMS 2018 Tags: Bloemfontein graduation ceremonies, Dr Khotso Mokhele, Prof Francis Petersen, Dr Anthony Turton, UFS Graduations, Hannes van Wyk, Kwela, David Abbey, Zola Valashiya, Chantelle Pretorius

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences

WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 12 April 2018 (morning session)WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 12 April 2018 (afternoon session)

The biggest danger for most of us is that we aim too low, and we achieve it.”
- Brand Pretorius

“In order to be massively successful in any endeavour, you must concentrate your attention intensely on what you want.”
- David Abbey

 

Friday 13 April 2018

Description: 1. Humanities 2018 Tags: Bloemfontein graduation ceremonies, Dr Khotso Mokhele, Prof Francis Petersen, Dr Anthony Turton, UFS Graduations, Hannes van Wyk, Kwela, David Abbey, Zola Valashiya, Chantelle Pretorius

Faculty of the Humanities

WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 13 April 2018 (morning session)
WATCH: UFS Autumn Graduation Ceremony 13 April 2018 (afternoon session)

“Today, I want to challenge our graduates to go out and live their dreams. You owe it to yourselves to live your dream.”
- Dr Nthabeleng Rammile

 

“Don’t take anything too seriously, there is a great joy in freedom, and freedom only ever comes from letting go.”
- Hannes van Wyk

News Archive

Emma Sadleir talks about social media etiquette
2016-05-18

Description: Emma Sadlier Tags: Emma Sadlier

Emma Sadleir
Photo: Supplied

“We have all become celebrities, we have become social figures because of our power to publish information. We have all become brands, and we need to protect our brand. Digital content is sometimes dangerous content,” said Sadleir.

On 11 May 2016, the University of the Free State, in collaboration with the Postgraduate School, hosted, Emma Sadleir, a leading social media expert, in the Equitas Auditorium on the Bloemfontein Campus. She is an admitted advocate, specialising in social media law.  Dr Henriette van den Berg, Director of the Postgraduate School, described Sadleir’s presentation as a privilege for all the staff and students who attended.

Sadleir said that there are two important rules that staff and students of an institution should try to follow. The first is not to bring the name of the institution into disrepute; and the second is not to breach the goodwill of the institution or, in other words, not to bite the hand that feeds you.

“The common law, even if there is no policy, is that anything that brings the company into disrepute can lead to disciplinary consequences up to termination,” said Sadleir.

Sadleir focused on hate speech and free speech, stating that free speech is a right that is entrenched in the constitution, but, like every other right, it has limitations. She mentioned Penny Sparrow, Matt Theunissen, Velaphi Khumalo, and Judge Mabel Jansen, all of whom have been lambasted by the public over their racist posts on social media. Sadleir stressed that, even on social media, content has to be within the confines of the law, and people must remember our rights are not absolute. We have a lot of freedoms, but no one cannot disseminate hate speech.

“Would you publish whatever you thinking on a billboard, close to a busy highway with your name, picture and employers details or the institution you studying at? If you have no grounds to justify the comment, do not post it,” warned Sadlier.  

According to the South African Bill of Rights, everyone has the right to privacy, but an expectation of privacy has to be enforced. She said people over-document their lives on social media, decreasing your right to privacy drastically. “It is like CCTV footage of your life. It is simple, the more you take care of your privacy, the more you have,” said Sadleir.

Sadleir said it was important for Facebook users to have privacy settings where they can review posts where they are tagged. According to Sadleir, managing your reputation is not only limited to what you post about yourself but also managing what others post about you.

She cited a 2013 case in the Pretoria High Court in which a new wife wrote a scandalous Facebook post about her husband’s ex-wife, tagging the husband in the post. The courts found both the new wife and the husband guilty of defamation.

“If you have been tagged in something but have not been online and seen the content, you are then an innocent disseminator. The moment you are aware of the post you are liable for the content,” said Sadleir.

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently,” Sadleir said, concluding her presentation with the quotation from Warren Buffet.

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