Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

'The closest I will come to doing magic’

12 April 2019 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Johan Roux

The post-school life of Francois de Beer, one of the graduates in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences who obtained his qualification in Chemistry and Biochemistry during the April graduation ceremonies, can be seen as one great act of ‘magic’. Other people may describe it as coincidence with a couple of miracles as the end result.

An opportunity

After completing his schooling at Hoërskool Fichardtpark in 2008, Francois decided to study at the University of the Free State (UFS). “Kovsies gave me the opportunity when nobody else would,” said Francois.

He did not have Maths subjects at school but wished to study in a Science field. “It is the closest one will ever come to doing magic,” he said.

The human element

Francois, who initially did not perform very well academically, did a bridging course in Mathematics and since then achieved distinctions in all his subjects. He related his story: “I did not have any Maths subjects at school, therefore it was very difficult for me to get to this path. The big difference was that Ms Elzmarie Oosthuizen from the UFS bridging programme saw something in me when nobody else did. She gave me the opportunity to do the Mathematics course, after which I was able to further continue on the Science path.”

“I would definitely recommend the UFS to other prospective students. I think Kovsies has a human element that really looks after students,” Francois said.

Francois is currently pursuing his postgraduate studies in Chemistry. He wants to make a difference in the lives of other people, just as others made a difference in his life.

News Archive

It's almost time for Rag procession 2012

2012-01-25

This year Rag is bigger and better.

This year’s Kovsie Rag of our universities Bloemfontein Campus promises to stand out head and shoulders above all previous years.

Kovsie Rag and Kovsie Community Service joined hands and is now known as Kovsie Rag Community Service.

For this reason, during this year’s Rag Procession in Heidedal and Mangaung, Kovsie Rag Community Service will distribute food parcels in this community.

The processions in Heidedal and Mangaung will both take place on Saturday 28 January 2012 at 10:00.

In Heidedal participants in the Rag Procession will distribute food parcels at the Twin City Shopping Centre and in Mangaung food parcels will be distributed at the Kenilworth Shopping Centre.

The programme for the Rag Procession is also well underway and first-years are eagerly building floats for this year’s Rag Procession on Saturday 28 January 2012

At 18:00 the main procession will start from the UFS and move to the final destination at Old Greys where DJ Black Coffee and Die Heuwels Fantasties will perform.

For the first time in Rag history, a Mr Rag will this year be crowned together with Miss Rag at the Crowning Ceremony Ball on Friday 3 February 2012.

The purpose of Kovsie Rag Community Service is to raise funds for charity and it is currently the biggest of its kind in South Africa.

“We are in the process of exceeding all expectations” says Pieter Badenhorst, Kovsie Rag officer.

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept