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08 October 2019 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Charl Devenish
Gradstar UFS
The 2019 GradStar programme is all about producing well-rounded students and providing them with opportunities in the world of work, explained Head of UFS Career Services, Belinda Janeke.
Congratulations to the Kovsies top-11 students who made it into the GradStar top-100 programme for 2019!

Each year, 100 South African students are selected through a rigorous four-phase judging process to become part of the GradStar programme. The programme is designed to offer opportunities for employment to previously unrecognised students.

What makes the top 11? 

According to the UFS Head of Career Services, Belinda Janeke, the GradStar programme is all about producing a well-rounded student. Approximately 6 000 applications were received from Kovsies, of which 500 were selected based on a personality test. Another test was given to the 500 students who passed the personality test, after which interviews were conducted to determine the top 100 from the UFS.  

The students who were selected to represent the UFS exhibited the most potential as future leaders in their respective fields. Apart from academic achievement, contestants were evaluated according to their individual soft skills such as motivation, discipline, altruism, and attitude. This combination promised to deliver top candidates for future employers. 

2019 GradStar programme experiences

Throughout the competition, Kovsie contestants were exposed to new people and opportunities to network with various companies in their preferred career fields, where they had the opportunity to share their CVs with potential employers. Contestants were also afforded the opportunity to develop critical problem-solving skills in the world of work. The GradStar top-100 students also have a WhatsApp group where jobs are advertised.

The programme was valuable for the Kovsies; not only did it prepare them for employment, but also provided them with an opportunity for learning and recognising their own strengths and weaknesses as individuals in the working world. 

Congratulations to the Kovsies who made it into the GradStar top 100: 

Mariné du Toit: Bachelor of Social Work
Nyiko Maluleka: Bachelor of Arts, Corporate and Marketing Communication
Bianca Malan: Bachelor of Accounting, Financial Accounting
Boitumelo Mancoe: Master of Business Administration
Kabelo Mashego: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB)
Kananelo Moletsane: Bachelor of Agriculture
Mudzunga Mukwevho: Bachelor of Accounting, Financial Accounting
Neo Roberts: Bachelor of Science, Information Technology 
Refilwe Maimane: Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting 
Themba Makhoba: Bachelor of Public Administration
Mpolokeng Mmutle: Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting

News Archive

Wayde claims gold and silver at IAAF World Championships in London
2017-08-11

 Description: Getty Wayde Tags: Wayde van Niekerk, IAAF World Championships, Michael Johnson, Prof Francis Petersen, 200 m/400 m double 

The Olympic champion, Wayde van Niekerk, continued
his superb form over the past few months when he
won a gold medal in the 400 m and a silver in the 200 m
at the IAAF World Championships in London.
Photo: Getty Images



This is just the beginning. These were the words of an emotional Wayde van Niekerk after he completed one of the best weeks in his young career at the IAAF World Championships.

The 25-year-old Kovsie star claimed a gold medal in the 400 m in London, England, on 8 August 2017, and added a silver in the 200 m on 10 August 2017.
 
Furthermore, he was only 0.02 seconds away (in the 200 m) from achieving a 200 m/400 m double – something which was last done in 1995 at a World Championship by Michael Johnson. Van Niekerk won the 400 m in London in 43.98 s, and two days later his 20.106 s was enough for a silver in the 200 m. Ramil Guliyev from Turkey was first in 20.09 s.

Role model for Kovsie community
Once again Van Niekerk’s achievements warmed the hearts back home at the University of the Free State (UFS). “This is an extremely proud moment not only for the country, but in particular for the University of the Free State. Wayde is a role model for the entire Kovsie community, and we have been following his achievements in the international arena with great excitement. We are elated by his performances. Congratulations also to Tannie Ans and his management team,” Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, said. 

So much more ahead, says star
“I really feel I worked hard for tonight and I gave it my all. And I think I have proven over and over again I deserve what I have achieved. It was a tough week for me,” Van Niekerk said in an interview with the BBC. “I am glad that I could come out again today and put on a good fight. I really believe this is just the beginning of so much more I can achieve.”

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