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10 April 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Charl Devenish
Graduation
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Announcement: April Graduation Guest Ticketing

Law graduates encouraged to practice good ethics and social justice

Prof Thuli Madonsela, Social Justice Chair at Stellenbosch University, and the former Public Protector of South Africa, spoke to Law graduates during the morning session of the University of the Free State Faculty of Law graduation ceremony on 12 April 2019.  Prof Madonsela encouraged Law graduates to be upstanding in their future practices and to follow in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela, Pixley ka Seme, and other lawyers who lived in trying times, but who stood for ethical legal practice despite their circumstances.  She said graduates will face societal pressures and challenges. “The one-size-fits-all approach to law does not work for everyone, you will have to bring in the social justice aspect to your work,” she said. 

Prof Madonsela encouraged graduates to be lawyers who respect the provisions of the Constitution, especially in a society that is “filled with hope, but is also marred by the fear of joblessness, homelessness, landlessness.”    

What is your unique offering?

Former Chancellor’s Medal recipient (2017) and Head of the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape, Joyene Isaacs, left the group of graduates in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences with a wealth of wisdom from the pointers she provided at both the morning and afternoon ceremonies.

She urged graduates to be curious. “Nosy makes for Nobel Prize winners,” she said. Isaacs continued: “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – they often lead to innovation. Understand the environment you studied in – political, environmental, economic, social, etc.”

“What is your unique offering? What package deal do you offer to an employer,” she asked.

Graduates were also challenged by her words of wisdom. “Are you prepared to work more than eight hours a day? Don’t stick to a job description. Add value,” Isaacs said.

“You don’t need to be better than someone else as much as you need to be better than you were yesterday. Small incremental improvements will result in major forward movements in your skills and achievements.”

“I salute all of you for your achievements,” she concluded.

Another highlight at the ceremony was that the first seven Postgraduate Diploma graduates in Integrated Water Management, who started in January 2018, received their qualifications.


Two presidents graduate in one ceremony

Student Representative Council President, Sonwabile Dwaba, and his predecessor, Asive Dlanjwa, shared the graduation stage on 10 April 2019. Dance and song marked the iconic Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences afternoon session.

Vian Chinner, guest speaker, enticed graduates in both sessions to leverage the ability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to advance and augment reality. “Consider how AI is going to impact your career decisions,” said the CEO of Xineoh and Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year for 2017.

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, implored the new generation of graduates to maintain their values in a world dominated by the digital economy alluded to. “Critical inquiry, social responsiveness, and integrity are the values I propose,” he said.

Karli Botha, who graduated with a Bachelor of Accounting, was named the Dean’s Medallist. Botha emerged as the best performing student in the faculty for 2018.

Humanities graduates encouraged to take leap of faith

A day of jubilation. It is only fitting to say that the graduates from the Faculty of the Humanities found the inspiration for their journey beyond the UFS.  Thembekile Mrototo, former UFS student, current broadcast journalist at radio station 947, and freelance anchor for television news channel eNCA, was the guest speaker.

 Mrototo told the 729 graduates about his journey from a student in Bloemfontein to becoming a regular face and voice on television and radio. “For a child who comes from the background that I came from, education is very important,” he said, referencing the hardships which he endured during his years of studies at the UFS.  He motivated the graduates by saying that they have the power to change the notion that ‘nothing great comes from Bloemfontein’. “You have the power – the world out there is for us to take,” he concluded.

Johnathan Kehrer was awarded the Dean's Medal for best results in respect of an Honours degree whilst Anneke Niewoudt was awarded the Dean's Medal for best results in respect of a first Bachelor's degree.

Guest speaker warns graduates of challenges facing SA education

At the University of the Free State Graduation Ceremony for the Faculty of Education on 8 April 2019, guest speaker and Chief Executive Officer of the National Education Collaboration Trust, Godwin Khoza, said graduates should be well aware that they will be going into a sector where leaders will offer no solutions to the problems, but lots of criticism.

“They will criticise learners for not learning and they will criticise teachers for being incompetent.”

Graduands exhorted: ‘Lift others as you rise’

Setlogane Manchidi, Head of Corporate Social Investment at Investec, told graduates yesterday morning: “Your success is a privilege and a responsibility. Your qualification is just a piece of paper; it is you who must give it meaning. Lift others as your rise.” In his concluding remarks, Prof Francis Petersen mirrored this sentiment: “Always remember where you studied; keep in contact with us and share with us what you are doing. Give back, keeping social responsiveness in mind.”


The parents, friends, family, and peers of 2019 UFS graduates can look forward to a flight of inspiring April graduation ceremonies that are guaranteed to soar graduates off into the finest direction of their career and overall lives.

521 UFS South Campus Open Distance Learning graduates will have the opportunity to be addressed by Head of Corporate Social Investment at Investec Bank, Mr Setlogane Manchidi. Likewise, the Faculties of Education (1 036), the Humanities (726), Economic and Management Sciences (934), Natural and Agricultural Sciences (1 188), Law (676), Health Sciences (244), and Theology and Religion (71) will have the opportunity to be addressed by expert guest speakers in the relevant career fields of the class of 2019 graduation ceremonies.

CEO of the National Education Collaborative Trust, Godwin Khoza; broadcaster on 947 and eNCA, Thembekile Mrototo; and CEO of Xineoh and Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Award winner, Vian Chinner, will address graduates during the April graduation ceremonies. Head of Department in the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and recipient of the UFS Chancellor’s Medal (2017), Joyene Isaacs, and Chair of Social Justice at Stellenbosch University and former Public Protector of South Africa, Prof Thuli Madonsela, are also scheduled to impart words of knowledge and wisdom upon UFS graduates throughout the April graduation ceremonies, which will be taking place in the Callie Human Centre on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus from 8 to 12 April 2019. 

Kovsie graduates have described the annual UFS graduation season as a time and place that diffuses feelings of anticipation, exhilaration, and optimism on campus, where graduates can be assured of a purposeful and enriching send-off experience.

For more information about the 2019 April graduation ceremonies, visit the UFS graduations page, where students can access information about the Graduation Career Guide and Graduation Frequently-asked questions. Any other graduation enquiries may be directed to graduations@ufs.ac.za

Bloemfontein Campus: 

8 April 2019
WATCH: 8 April 2019 ( Morning Session)

Day 1 South Campus new
09:00: South Campus: Open Distance Learning
Higher certificates
Graduation Programme 

“Your success is a privilege and a responsibility. Your qualification is just a piece of paper; it is you who must give it meaning. Lift others as your rise.” Setlogane Manchidi

WATCH: 8 April 2019 (Afternoon Session)

8 April Afternoon Graduation Ceremony

14:30: Faculty of Education
Undergraduate qualifications up to Honours degrees
Graduation Programme 

"Innovation and critical thinking should take a central place in our education system and this should apply to all subjects," - Godwin Khoza.

WATCH: 9 April 2019 ( Morning Session)

Morning Session
09:00:  Faculty of the Humanities
Certificates, diplomas, and Honours degrees
Graduation Programme

"You have the power to change the notion that nothing great comes from Bloem. The future is ours. The world out there is for us to take," -Thembekile Mrototo

Watch: 9 April 2019 ( Afternoon Session)

Afternoon session Humanities
14:30: Faculty of the Humanities
Undergraduate Bachelor’s degrees
Graduation Programme

"There's no greater feeling than the feeling of being supported by your parents. Even in hardships." - Thembekile Mrototo


WATCH: 10 April 2019 ( Morning Session)

Day 3 Faculty of Economic and Management Science
09:00: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (excluding BCom)
Certificates, diplomas, degrees and Honours degrees
Graduation Programme

“Consider how AI is going to impact your career decisions,” - Vian Chinner

WATCH: 10 April 2019 (Afternoon Session)

EMS

14:30: Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
BCom degrees and Honours degrees
Graduation Programme

WATCH: 11 April 2019 (Morning Session)
NAS morning session
09:00: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Diplomas and Honours degrees
Graduation Programme

"Don’t rush to the top – take time to smell the flowers," - Joyene Isaacs



WATCH:11 April 2019 ( Afternoon Session)

NAS afternoon

14:30: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Bachelor’s degrees
Graduation Programme

"Move away from your safety net and look for a trampoline," - Joyene Isaacs

WATCH: 12 April 2019 (Morning Session)

Faculty of Law Morning session
09:00: Faculty of Law (including School of Financial Planning Law)
Diplomas and Bachelor’s degrees 
Graduation Programme

“The one-size-fits-all approach to law does not work for everyone, you will have to bring in the social justice aspect to your work,” - Prof Thuli Madonsela

WATCH: 12 April 2019 (Afternoon session)

Health Sciences afternoon

14:30: Faculties of Health Sciences and Theology and Religion
Undergraduate qualifications up to Honours degrees
Graduation Programme


News Archive

To tan or not to tan: a burning issue
2009-12-08

 Prof. Werner Sinclair

“Some evidence exists which implies that sunscreens could indeed be responsible for the dramatic rise in the incidence of melanoma over the past three decades, the period during which the use of sunscreens became very popular,” says Prof. Werner Sinclair, Head of the Department of Dermatology at the University of the Free State. His inaugural lecture was on the topic Sunscreens – Curse or Blessing?

Prof. Sinclair says the use of sunscreen preparations is widely advocated as a measure to prevent acute sunburn, chronic sun damage and resultant premature skin aging as well as skin malignancies, including malignant melanoma. There is inconclusive evidence to prove that these preparations do indeed achieve all of these claims. The question is whether these preparations are doing more harm than good?

He says the incidence of skin cancer is rising dramatically and these tumours are induced mostly by the ultra-violet rays.

Of the UV light that reaches the earth 90-95% belongs to the UVA fraction. UVC is normally filtered out by the ozone layer. UVB leads to sunburn while UVA leads to pigmentation (tanning). Because frequent sunburn was often associated with skin cancer, UVB was assumed, naively, to be the culprit, he says.

Exposure to sunlight induces a sense of well-being, increases the libido, reduces appetite and induces the synthesis of large amounts of vitamin D, an essential nutritional factor. The use of sunscreen creams reduces vitamin D levels and low levels of vitamin D have been associated with breast and colon cancer. Prof. Sinclair says the 17% increase in breast cancer from 1981 to 1991 parallels the vigorous use of sunscreens over the same period.

Among the risk factors for the development of tumours are a family history, tendency to freckle, more than three episodes of severe sunburn during childhood, and the use of artificial UV light tanning booths. He says it remains a question whether to tan or not. It was earlier believed that the main carcinogenic rays were UVB and that UVA merely induced a tan. The increase in UVA exposure could have severe consequences.

Prof. Sinclair says the UV light used in artificial tanning booths consists mainly of pure UVA which are highly dangerous rays. It has been estimated that six per cent of all melanoma deaths in the UK can be directly attributed to the use of artificial tanning lights. The use of an artificial tanning booth will double the melanoma risk of a person. “UVA is solely responsible for solar skin aging and it is ironical that tanning addicts, who want to look beautiful, are inflicting accelerated ageing in the process,” he says.

On the use of sunscreens he says it can prevent painful sunburn, but UVA-induced damage continues unnoticed. UVB blockers decrease vitamin D synthesis, which is a particular problem in the elderly. It also prevents the sunburn warning and therefore increases the UVA dosage that an individual receives. It creates a false sense of security which is the biggest problem associated with sunscreens.

Evidence obtained from the state of Queensland in Australia, where the heaviest and longest use of sunscreens occurred, boasted the highest incidence of melanoma in the world. A huge study in Norway has shown a 350% increase in melanoma for men and 440% for women. This paralleled the increase in the use of UVB blocking sunscreens while there was no change in the ozone layer. It did however, occur during that time when tanning became fashionable in Norway and there was an increase especially in artificial tanning.

Prof. Sinclair says: “We believe that sunscreen use does not directly lead to melanoma, but UVA exposure does. The Melanoma Epidemic is a reality. Sunscreen preparations are not the magical answer in the fight against melanoma and the irresponsible use of these preparations can worsen the problem.”

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt.stg@ufs.ac.za
7 December 2009

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