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07 November 2019 | Story Thabo Kessah | Photo Johan Roux
Qwaqwa Campus top academic achiever, Selloane Mile, with Campus Principal, Dr Martin Mandew.
Qwaqwa Campus top academic achiever, Selloane Mile, with Campus Principal, Dr Martin Mandew.

Bosso ke mang? So goes a popular township saying derived from the late Hip Hop Pantsula’s (HHP) hit track, Bosso. Literally, it means ‘who is the boss?’

Selloane Mile, the 2018/2019 SRC Secretary General for the Qwaqwa Campus, was a tutor in the Faculties of Education and the Humanities from 2017 to 2019, and is also an aspiring poet and author. She is now the Qwaqwa Campus Dux Student for 2019, with an average of 84, 3%.

“I am very honoured and humbled to have been bestowed the award as the best academic student on the Qwaqwa Campus at the recent Student Excellence Awards ceremony. The experience certainly feels unreal and I am yet to come to terms with the magnitude of this accolade,” said Selloane, a final-year Bachelor of Education (Senior Phase and FET) student. 

The secret is, there is no secret

When asked what her secret was, she said: “I do not think there is any secret or technique that I can attribute my academic achievements to. However, I think setting a standard for yourself and being consistent in whatever we do to realise those standards we have set for ourselves, is the key to success. Also important is flexibility. One has to give yourself the chance to explore and tap into different horizons.” 

Cognitive growth

“You cannot grow cognitively if you do not challenge yourself. For instance, reading a book outside the scope of your discipline can prove beneficial, because you get to be more knowledgeable. The advice I would give is that you must constantly remind yourself why you are here and let that be the driving force, even when things are gloomy, to let that motivate you. If you want to achieve certain things, you have to compromise and deprive yourself of other things; so, priorities should be the order of the day,” said the future Biology and English educator.

Looking back

Selloane is a proud product of Qwabi, Molibeli, and Reabetswe primary schools in Qwaqwa.

“I was born and bred here at Mandela Park in Qwaqwa. I did my Grades 10-12 at Moteka Secondary School, and that is why I would like to go back and teach at a public school – to bring about change in my community.”

Other awards Selloane received, were the Faculty of Education Overall Best Performer, and the Top Academic Achiever in the 2018/2019 SRC. Clearly, bosso ke Selloane!

Some of the recipients on the day were:
Dineo Tsotetsi (81,5%) – Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Overall Best Achiever
Katleho Motloung (78, 3%) – Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Overall Best Achiever
Tina Magaqa (74%) – Faculty of the Humanities Overall Best Achiever
Pakiso Mthembu – Sportsman of the Year
Sandakahle Msamariya Khumalo – Sportswoman of the Year
Thabo Mdletshe – UFS101 Teaching Assistant of the Year
Charlotte Maxeke Residence – The Cleanest Residence on Campus
Siphamandla Shabangu – Selfless Volunteer and Gateway Mentor
UFS Qwaqwa Campus Chorale – Outstanding Performing Arts and Cultural Society 

News Archive

African Union acknowledges one of our own
2012-01-23

 

Prof. Maryke Labuschagne
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

The African Union awarded an international award to Maryke Labuschagne, a professor in Plant Breeding at our Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, for her contribution to science in Africa.

Prof. Labuschagne received the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific award in the category Life Sciences – Continental level. This is the highest level of this prestigious award programme.

The African Union Commission is committed to ensure that science and technology contributes to sustainable development efforts. In 2008 the African Union Commission launched the prestigious African Union Scientific Award Programme. This programme was later renamed the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific awards.

The programme is implemented at National level for young researchers, Regional level for women scientists and is open to all scientists on Continental level.

The Continental level is the highest level of the programme. The objective is to give out scientific awards to top African scientists for their scientific achievements, valuable discoveries and findings.

Prof. Labuschagne has been part of our university for the past 23 years. Over the last 20 years she has been involved in training and educating scientists in plant breeding all over Africa. Her work also entails the development of better cultivars to ensure food sustainability on the continent.

“I really did not expect to win this award. The criteria were really strict and one always sells yourself and your achievements short,” says Prof. Labuschagne.

With this award, Prof. Labuschagne also receives US $100 000 (about R 804 180) in prize money, which will be used to renovate her department’s lab facilities and provide bursaries.

The official award ceremony will be held on Saturday 28 January 2012 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
 

 

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