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06 October 2020 | Story NONSINDISO QWABE | Photo Charl Devenish
Prof Pearl Sithole, Campus Vice-Principal: Qwaqwa Campus


An increase in post- and undergraduate qualifications, including ten doctoral and seven Master of Science qualifications, for graduates on the Qwaqwa Campus. These were some of the achievements celebrated on the second day of the UFS virtual graduation ceremonies hosted from 6 to 9 October 2020, with students from the Qwaqwa Campus receiving their qualifications. 

Highlighting graduates’ accomplishments, the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, said the Qwaqwa Campus had an impressive milestone to celebrate – the significant increase in the number of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications obtained in 2019. "This includes ten doctoral degrees. This is indeed a remarkable milestone for the campus, well done!"

The campus awarded qualifications to students in the Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences, the Humanities, Education, and Natural and Agricultural Sciences. The Faculties of Education and Natural and Agricultural Sciences had the highest number of postgraduate qualifications, 62 and 43 degrees respectively. 

Boasting a record number of 10 PhD qualifications, the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences had even more reason to celebrate, producing seven Master of Science graduates. Of the seven MSc students, five were women.
Celebrating these achievements, Prof Aliza le Roux, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, said as the first female assistant dean of the faculty, she is impressed with the large number of women graduating with postgraduate degrees. "I am extremely proud of our Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences in Qwaqwa, because our science students are succeeding at some of the hardest degrees you can get. I love working on the Qwaqwa Campus, as the students here give me such hope for the future of science in South Africa," Prof Le Roux said.

One such student is Portia Mosolloane, who obtained her MSc degree in Zoology cum laude. Her dissertation is titled: Rapid detection of escherichia coli in treated and untreated wastewater and the impact of wastewater on riparian macroinvertebrate assemblages.

The following students received their honours and master’s degrees cum laude:

Mmabatho Sebusi – Bachelor of Education Honours with specialisation in Curriculum Studies. 
Matsubela Chakela – Bachelor of Education with specialisation in Management and Governance. 
Unathi Gwama – Bachelor of Education with specialisation in Management and Governance. 
Bongani Msibi – Bachelor of Education with specialisation in Management and Governance. 
Portia Mosolloane – Master of Science in Zoology
Dorah Muthee – Master of Science in Physics.


Virtual Graduation ceremony – Day 1

UFS celebrates the achievements of its newest alumni

"Perhaps this is not the graduation day you envisaged; however, like all graduations, it is a celebratory event that marks the culmination of much hard work, dedication, and commitment to the realisation of your dreams. Graduations are joyous events, occasions of celebration and achievement."

With these words, the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Free State, Prof Francis Petersen, opened the first in the series of virtual graduation ceremonies taking place this week.
As a highlight on the university's calendar, 6 497 students from the three UFS campuses will be virtually awarded undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications over a period of four days as an alternative to the traditional ceremonies, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Prof Petersen said the virtual ceremonies did not erase the magnitude of the occasion. "This virtual graduation ceremony is about celebrating your success and achievements. A lot of sacrifices have been made for you to be able to graduate – whether financial, emotional, or in any other way."

Prof Petersen said that, along with the qualifications received, he hoped the graduates would leave the University of the Free State filled with values that would shape their journey as they entered the world of work and society as professionals – the values of critical inquiry, social responsiveness, and integrity.
"When we send out graduates from the University of the Free State, we would like to believe that we send out graduates with impeccable integrity who can make a massive difference in society."

His words were echoed by the university's new Chancellor, Prof Bonang Mohale, who began his term of office in June. Prof Mohale implored graduates to draw and build from their own humanity for the growth and development of all society, to work for a cause, and to make their presence felt in the world.

"To our newest alumni, congratulations. You have earned your academic qualifications, grown intellectually, and accomplished much more than when you first began your studies.”

“Through today's graduation, may I kindly implore all of us to rededicate ourselves to the unfinished task of attaining social justice, defending democracy, and being change agents," Prof Mohale said. 

Making the most of an unprecedented ceremony, scores of people took to the university's YouTube channel to identify and congratulate their loved ones and to celebrate their achievements.

The following students received the Dean's Medal in the various faculties:

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences:
Jan Johannes van Niekerk – Bachelor of Accounting
Pierré Ludwig Koekemoer – Bachelor of Commerce Honours with specialisation in Marketing

Faculty of Education:
Martha Maria Koch – Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching

Faculty of Health Sciences:
Venuschké Struwig – Bachelor of Medical Science with specialisation in Radiation Sciences (in respect of a three-year bachelor’s degree) 
Tamryn Wepener – Bachelor of Science in Dietetics (in respect of a four-year bachelor's degree)
Andrea Snyman – Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (in respect of a five-year bachelor’s degree)
Sakhele Lancelort Shiba – Bachelor of Medical Science Honours in Medical Physics

Faculty of the Humanities:
Lise Stofberg – Bachelor of Social Science majoring in Psychology and Sociology (in respect of a three-year bachelor’s degree)
Nina Cilliers – Bachelor of Music (in respect of a four-year bachelor's degree)
André Nel – Bachelor of Psychology Honours

Faculty of Law:
Deneska Theron – Bachelor of Laws

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences:
Christoffel Jacobus de Lange – Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Zoology
Sune Hayward – Bachelor of Science in  Agriculture majoring in  Animal Sciences
Elize Ferreira – Bachelor of Science Honours Majoring in Mathematics and  Applied Mathematics

Congratulations to the class of 2019!
Watch the rest of the ceremonies here

News Archive

New SRC: Records of support and a victory for women
2014-09-04


Ms Mosa Leteane and Ms Louzanne Coetzee
Photo: Johan Roux

While campuses across South Africa regularly report falling voter turnout in campus elections of student representatives, the University of the Free State, in its recently completed SRC elections, registered record levels of support across our campuses with a total voter turnout of 44%. At the Bloemfontein Campus 34,4% of students voted (5052 votes) and 53,3% (1583 votes) at the Qwaqwa Campus.

Also, for the first time under the new SRC constitution, students elected a woman to lead the student body – Ms Mosa Leteane was elected as President. Another first was the election of a blind woman to the SRC – Ms Louzanne Coetzee. She will be responsible for student accessibility of our Bloemfontein SRC. This marks a victory for women in student governance.

Mr Tulasizwe Sithole was elected as the President of the SRC at our Qwaqwa Campus.

The election of Ms Leteane as President underscores the progress achieved for gender equality with near half of her SRC consisting of women (48%).

These successes are all the more significant, since this is the 4th year of elections under newly adopted SRC constitutions that allow for broader participation of diverse student constituencies in student governance.

This means that the crucial 3-year mark to test a new approach and method in governance and elections was not only successfully reached, but also in its 4th year shows the constitution as one that sustains its impact to deepen democracy and citizenship among our 30,000-strong student body.

“The results of the SRC elections across campuses show that our students are not only ready to lead our campus communities on issues relating to justice, freedom and democracy beyond our societal legacies of race and gender, but do so also for the student movement nationally. We’re immensely proud of our students, who show courage and resilience to choose leaders not for expediency, but for significance, and to lead not for some, but for all”, the Dean of Student Affairs, Rudi Buys, said.

The Qwaqwa SRC was installed on 2 September 2014, while the Bloemfontein SRC will be installed on 5 September. The Central SRC will be established on 14 September by joint sitting of the two SRCs.

The SRC members 2014/15 at the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses are as follows:

Bloemfontein Elective portfolios:
President: Ms Mosa Leteane
Vice Pres: Mr Waldo Staude
Secretary: Ms Dineo Motaung
Treasurer: Ms Maphenye Maditsi
Arts & Culture: Mr Stefan van der Westhuizen
Accessibility & Student Support: Ms Louzanne Coetzee
First Generation Students: Ms Mpho Khati
Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Lethabo Maebana
Legal & Constitutional Affairs: Mr Lindokuhle Ntuli
Sport: Ms Dominique de Gouveia
Student development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Victor Ngubeni
Transformation: Mr Tumelo Rapitsi

Bloemfontein Ex officio Portfolios
Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Student Council: Mr Piet Thibane
Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Student Council: Mr Jonathan Ruwanika
Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Campus Residences Student Council: Ms Melissa Taljaard
City student Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Student Council: Ms Kerry-Beth Berry
Post graduate Affairs & Ex officio: Post Graduate Student Council: Ms Masabata Mokgesi
International Affairs & Ex officio: International Student Council: Mr Makate Maieane
Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Student Media Council: Mr Samuel Phuti
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Mr Johan du Plessis
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Mr Manfred Titus

Qwaqwa Elective portfolios:
President General: Mr Thulasizwe Sithole
Deputy President: Ms Zethu Mhlongo
Secretary General: Mr Vukani Ntuli
Treasurer General: Mr Langelihle Mbense
Media & Publicity: Ms Nongcebo Qwabe
Politics & Transformation: Ms Nkosiphile Zwane

Qwaqwa Ex officio Portfolios
Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Ndumiso Memela
Academic Affairs: Mr Simon Mofekeng
Arts & Cultural Affairs: Ms Samkelo Mtshali
Off-Campus Students: Mr Khanyisani Mbatha
RAG, Community Service & Dialogue: Mr Njabulo Mabaso
Religious Affairs: Mr Mfundo Nxumalo
Residence & Catering Affairs: Ms Ntombifuthi Radebe
Sports Council: Mr Luvuno

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