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Ups and downs, gains and losses, and an LLB degree later

19 April 2021 | Story NONSINDISO QWABE | Photo Supplied

Tshepang 2_web read more — LLB graduate Tshepang Mahlatsi

‘Be loyal to your calling and the universe will locate you.’ This slogan is the mantra that University of the Free State LLM student, Tshepang Mahlatsi, lives by. It is also this slogan that carried him through a tumultuous journey during the pursuit of his LLB degree, which he received during the Bloemfontein Campus graduation ceremony on 19 April.

Mahlatsi began his LLB degree in 2014, but he had to take a break from his academics in 2016 after being clinically diagnosed with depression. He obtained his qualification in 2020. Mahlatsi said 2016 was a year that started on a high note for him as a third-year Law student and newly elected prime for Tswelopele residence, but quickly took a downward dive when he found himself overwhelmed by leadership demands – coupled with the simultaneous loss of loved ones and constant academic pressure. It ultimately led to a breakdown, forcing him to put his studies on hold. "I am graduating with my LLB after life-changing events in my undergraduate years – from student politics, depression, and PTSD, to starting a mental-health organisation and using both CUADS and Kovsie Counselling support services to come back to ‘normalcy’.”

He said the year-long break from his studies left him feeling discouraged as he watched his peers and classmates progress and graduate. "It was the most difficult thing to do to remind myself that I wasn't stupid."

"This journey exposed a lot about myself; it exposed that with determination and resilience, you can achieve what you set out to achieve. I had to persevere not because I wanted to, but because my family has never seen a graduate. I was doing this for them; to give them something they've never had,” he said.

UFS support services can save lives

Mahlatsi would like more students to make use of the UFS support services and not crumble under mental-health problems. "I hope to inspire students to use their support services and not be ashamed – services such as CUADS and Student Counselling and Development. I hope to inspire student leaders and students to realise that you can be a well-rounded student and still have challenges, but eventually, success awaits us all."

News Archive

Anchen Froneman selected for NY post-grad programme

2015-04-29

Anchen Froneman

Anchen Froneman, PhD-student at the UFS Odeion School of Music (OSM), has been accepted into the Modular Certification Programme in Laban Movement Studies at the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies (LIMS), in New York (USA).

This programme is a postgraduate certificate that is considered the equivalent of a master’s degree programme. Successful completion earns the title of Certified Movement Analyst (CMA). Anchen’s attendance at the first module of the programme from 1 to 17 June 2015 has been made possible by a Postgraduate Scholarship granted by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust.

Participation in the CMA Programme stems from her multidisciplinary doctoral research project as well as a personal interest in the ways that body movement contributes to a holistic musical performance. In her research project, she investigates the application of Laban Movement Studies to obtaining embodied, integrative piano performances. Laban Movement Studies is an approach whereby both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of body movement is analysed, codified, and developed, using specific considerations. This somatic approach uses a framework based on the personal uniqueness and complexity embedded in human movement, explaining and developing the organisation of the body, the position and relation of the body to itself, space, and other objects as well as the dynamic range of body movement.

CMAs contribute to various areas of human development, including leadership development, cross-cultural communications and management, interpersonal skills and conflict management, team development, self-awareness and performance improvement, performing arts as well as movement therapies.

Anchen uses the foundation of the Laban approach in her hypothesis that the development of both functional and expressive movement will enhance musical performance. She also centres this on the literature findings on body movement in the disciplines of music performance, neuroscience, psychology, and physiology. With this project, she aims to make a scholarly contribution towards raising awareness of the importance of integrating functional and expressive movements in performance.

Anchen completed her previous music qualifications at the OSM.

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