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25 September 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Stefan Els
Run to Stellenbosch run
The baton #hope took centre stage at the welcoming ceremony of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth team at Coetzenburg stadium in Stellenbosch on 25 September 2019. Pictured here from the left; Susan van Jaarsveld, Burneline Kaars, Arina Engelbrecht and Tertia de Bruin.
The #UFSRun4MentalHealth awareness runners arrived in Stellenbosch on 25 September 2019.

The 21-member team from the Faculty of Health Sciences and Organisational Development and Employee Wellness at the University of the Free State (UFS) had a send-off ceremony on the Bloemfontein Campus on 20 September 2019, on their running journey to Stellenbosch University (SU) to raise awareness for #MentalHealth. The teams ran a distance of 1 075 km at an average speed of 10.03 km/h or a pace of 5 minutes and 59 seconds per km.

"At last, the team has arrived. I am extremely proud of all the runners and I think they have touched many lives, and I think it was a wonderful experience. On behalf of the University of the Free State, welcome to Stellenbosch!," said Susan van Jaarsveld; Senior Director: UFS Human Resources

"We ran 1 075 kilometres from Bloemfontein to Stellenbosch. Yes, we did have some challenges along the road. There were some steeps that were too heavy, and the wind, the dryness, and some gravel roads that we went through. But, because of the team spirit and the inspiration that we maintained during our challenge, we did very well until we got to Stellenbosch this morning," said red team member, Diphate Dimo from the university's Facilities Management. 


Read more:
#UFSRun4MentalHealth: 973 km down, 100 km to go
First #MentalHealth awareness run to Stellenbosch to bring hope
MENTAL HEALTH: It affects all of us
Guardians of Mental Health
#KovsiesCare: HR prioritises mental health in the workplace



At the finish line, after they ran a distance of 1 075 km at an average speed of 10.03 km/h or a pace of 5 minutes and 59 seconds per km.
At the finish line, after they ran a distance of 1 075 km at an average speed of 10.03 km/h or a pace of 5 minutes and 59 seconds per km.
Susan van Jaarsveld, Burneline Kaars, Arina Engelbrecht, Tertia de Bruin
Susan van Jaarsveld, Burneline Kaars, Arina Engelbrecht, Tertia de Bruin
Runners in Ceres
Runners in Ceres
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
On their way to Coetzenburg Stadium
Ready for the arrival of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners at Coetzenburg Stadium
Ready for the arrival of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth runners at Coetzenburg Stadium
Almost in Stellenbosch
Almost in Stellenbosch
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth teams
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth teams
Handing over the baton of hope from one team to the next
Handing over the baton of hope from one team to the next
10 km before Victoria West
10 km before Victoria West
Early morning start
Early morning start
One of the runners with the baton of hope
One of the runners with the baton of hope
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
They also met fellow Kovsies on the way
They also met fellow Kovsies on the way
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#UFSRun4MentalHealth runner
#MentalHealthAwareness being done in all the towns
#MentalHealthAwareness being done in all the towns
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth teams
One of the #UFSRun4MentalHealth teams
Transport for the #UFSRun4MentalHealth team
Transport for the #UFSRun4MentalHealth team

News Archive

Kovsies still enjoy successful exchange opportunity
2010-08-25

 
Students Ian Botha, Lize Swart and SW Meintjies with Prof. Izak Groenewald (second from right) at the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg upon the student’s recent departure to Virginia Tech. Photo: Supplied

More than a decade ago, the then Chairperson of Free State Agriculture, Piet Gous, in collaboration with the then Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), Prof. Piet Wilke, started an exchange initiative which still makes a difference to students’ lives today.

Students at the university get the opportunity to go and study at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg in the United States of America (USA) during the second semester. During the first semester the UFS then receive American students. Since its inception in 1998, 142 students have already participated in the exchange programme.

“It is not only about six months’ studies at an American university. It is about the expansion of horizons, the creation of new frames of reference and exposure to other cultures and customs in order to attain and experience more life capacity,” says Prof. Izak Groenewald, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development at the UFS. Prof. Groenewald has acted as coordinator of this student exchange programme since 1997.

According to Prof. Groenewald, the secret of the successful programme rests with the fact that Kovsies pay their tuition and accommodation fees at the UFS as if they were studying here. However, they enjoy the privileges at Virginia Tech. Similarly, the American students pay their corresponding fees at Virginia Tech and then enjoy the privileges offered by the UFS. 

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