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11 February 2019 | Story Mamosa Makaya | Photo Francois van Vuuren
Star of stars
Thabang Sithela from L.a Wesi Secondary School is the 2019 Star of Stars here with Nomonde Mbadi, Director of Student Recruitment Services.

The Star of Stars Awards is a spectacular annual event that recognises and celebrates excellence among Grade 12 learners from Quintile 1-3 schools in the Xhariep, Motheo and Lejweleputswa regions of the Free State province. The office of Student Recruitment Services held the award ceremony on 2 February 2019, at the University of the Free State’s (UFS), Bloemfontein Campus. In attendance were Grade 12 finalists and their parents, senior leadership of the UFS and sponsors of the event.

Awards programme drives excellence

Participants in the Star of Stars award programme are cultivated from schools located in some of the poorest communities in the province, where they are faced with difficult social circumstances. The top 20 are selected using their June and September matric results, and from these the top 10 are selected using the criteria of academics, leadership, and community engagement. This year’s top award was presented to Thabang Sithela from La Wesi Secondary school in Nyakallong, Allanridge. He is registered to study for a degree in Geochemistry in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences on the Bloemfontein Campus.

Accepting the top award Thabang encouraged other learners to remain steadfast “to be successful in life you have to remain positive, even in negative situations, so as not to find yourself remaining in that negativity”. The panel of judges comprised seven officials from various Bloemfontein-based organisations including the UFS, OFM and Kovsie Alumni Trust. The panel was chaired by Mar’c Scholtz of Brand Boss Creative, who praised the students for their unrelenting willpower in emerging top of their class. He further commended the office of UFS Student Recruitment Services led by Nomonde Mbadi, director of Student Recruitment Services, who conceptualised the programme in 2016, which has grown in leaps and bounds.

Fostering diversity and inclusion

The UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, said one of the remaining challenges facing universities in South Africa is inequality, which permeates the circumstances of disadvantaged students when they join higher education institutions. He said the UFS aims to ensure that its student body is representative of society, with one of its goals being diversity and inclusivity. However, elements such as social class still hold students back. But despite this the students being awarded are a shining example of what it takes to beat the odds. “This is the most exciting time of your life, enjoy it,” Prof Petersen said.

The Star of Stars awards programme is holistic, empowering finalists with career counselling, mentorship, and guidance to campus life. The programme is key in incentivising students in the Free State to be high achievers, but most importantly to overcome their difficult circumstances, opening them up to greater opportunities in their student life and future careers.

2019 Free State Star of Star finalist
2019 Free State Star of Star finalist
Star of Stars Event
Star of Stars Event
More guest arriving for the 2019 Star of Stars event on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus
More guest arriving for the 2019 Star of Stars event on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus
Guest arriving for the 2019 Star of Stars event on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus
Guest arriving for the 2019 Star of Stars event on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus
Glamours evening for the 2019 Star of Stars
Glamours evening for the 2019 Star of Stars
Star of Stars on the stage.
Star of Stars on the stage.
Nomonde Mbadi with the Star of Stars, Thabang Sithela.
Nomonde Mbadi with the Star of Stars, Thabang Sithela.
Helen Namponya, Master of Ceremonies.
Helen Namponya, Master of Ceremonies.
Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor
Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor
Ilze Bakkes from UFS Student Recruitment Services hands over gift bags to the students.
Ilze Bakkes from UFS Student Recruitment Services hands over gift bags to the students.
Star of Stars 2
Star of Stars 2
Star of Stars
Star of Stars

News Archive

UFS academics serve high in ranks of Cereal Science institutions
2017-10-10

Description: Cereal Science Tags: Cereal Science

Dr Angie van Biljon, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), was elected as president of Cereal Science and Technology South Africa (CST-SA) at their bi-annual general meeting, in Pretoria.

Prof Maryke Labuschagne, Professor in Plant Breeding at the UFS and official representative of South Africa in the American Association for Cereal Chemists International from 2007, was re-elected as the South African representative to the American Association for Cereal Chemists. She attends the annual conference in the US as well as the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology (the European counterpart of AACC) regularly. “I use these conferences to report on the research done by the research team at the UFS on gluten protein, baking quality and nutritional value of cereals,” she said.

Prof. Labuschagne was also involved in a training course for the baking industry. 

Both Dr Van Biljon and Prof Labuschagne are involved in research on wheat gluten proteins, which is critical to the baking industry. CST-SA is a platform to disseminate this and other research, not only locally but also internationally. The aim of this society is to advance cereal science and technology both in the public sector and in the industry of Southern Africa.

CST-SA creates an opportunity for staff and
students working on cereals to interact
with the industry. This prevents research
from being just academic and creates
an opportunity to bring the research and the
industry together.

Wheat research not just academic
According to Prof Labuschagne CST-SA creates an opportunity for staff and students working on cereals to interact with the industry. This prevents research from being just academic and creates an opportunity to bring the research and the industry together. This has been very useful for students at the university working on cereals, as they have made presentations at the “New Voices” symposium, a forum for postgraduate students to present their research.

“Through CST-SA we have also, through the years, presented our research on an international level at the annual meetings of the American Association for Cereal Chemists and the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology,,” said Prof Labuschagne.

The science of cereals
CST-SA is an association of organisations and individuals, from both the private and public sectors, who are actively involved in the science and technology of cereals. Its aim is to promote the dissemination of knowledge and information on cereal science and technology through meetings, publications, workshops and other means. CST-SA also organises training courses for the industry. In the past years there was a course for the baking industry and one for the milling industry and also the “New Voices” symposium”.

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