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15 June 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Supplied
Closeup of a student

The downside of digital learning has not gone unnoticed; however, the Department of Communication Science has shown that it has its benefits too, when it hosted its first-ever career webinar for first-year students across all UFS campuses. The webinar, which took place on 3 and 4 June on Blackboard Collaborate, was a cross-campus initiative that saw first-years from the Bloemfontein, Qwaqwa, and South campuses, along with students from remote campuses around the Free State, come together to learn from UFS alumni who now work in various industries in media, marketing, and journalism. The line-up included Zinhlezonke Zikalala, Nthabiseng Mokoena, Keneilwe Chologi, Lesle-Ann George, Nonsindiso Qwabe, Nthabiseng Thiba, and Rea Mabine, all of whom pursued undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the University of the Free State.

 

Insights gained at UFS paved career success for alumni

The all-female panel spoke about their personal experience in their relevant industries, indicating the knowledge gained at the UFS as the element that paved their way to career success. Zikalala, Mabine, and George focused on digital marketing, while Qwabe and Thiba focused on communication and journalism. Mokoena, an all-rounder, focused on the relevance of Communication Science in any industry. Students could also satisfy their curiosity by asking the guest speakers questions about their respective industries.

Communication Science coordinator and lecturer on the Qwaqwa Campus, Rentia Engelbrecht, described the webinar as simply ‘magical’.

“As a first-year lecturer, I often don’t know where my students end up, but seeing and hearing how our module now actually helps them in their jobs has made me so happy and proud. I hope students realise that Communication Science can open so many doors for you. I also want our students on different campuses to know that they are all equally important and that we actually learn so much from each other, especially in the online space where we are now ‘closer’ than ever. I also think it was extremely empowering to see our all-female speakers do their thing out there in the real world.”

Communication Science Units lecturer, Avela Ntsongelwa, who was the brains behind the webinar, said online learning presented an opportunity for students to gain a realistic understanding of what the field of communication entails. “We felt that students always get the theoretical side of what one can do in communications. A lot of students also got into the degree, not really sure if this is what they wanted; so, the webinar brought about a deeper understanding and love for their studies.”

These sentiments were shared by one such student, Thembeka Malo, a first-year student pursuing a BA degree in Communication Studies and Anthropology. Malo said: “I enjoyed the talk so much. I was at a point where I started to doubt the path I have chosen. I’ve really drawn inspiration.”

 


Lesle-Ann George is a marketing specialist at Vodacom Central Region. She completed her undergraduate degree in Corporate and Marketing Communications in 2016, then went on to complete her honours in BCom Marketing in 2017. Nthabiseng Thiba Zinhlezonke Zikalala
     
Lesle-Ann George is a marketing specialist at Vodacom Central Region. She completed her undergraduate degree in Corporate and Marketing Communications in 2016, then went on to complete her honours in BCom Marketing in 2017. 

Nthabiseng Thiba obtained her BA Communication Science degree, specialising in Media Studies and Journalism, and her postgraduate degree in Leadership Communication at the University of the Free State. She is currently a communication officer at the global mining company, Anglo American Platinum, based in Rustenburg.

 Zinhlezonke Zikalala obtained her BA Communication Science degree, specialising in Media Studies and Journalism, in 2016. She is a journalist and digital marketing specialist, and co-founder of Sibizi Media.

 

News Archive

Launch of the Africa office of the IIDE
2006-05-25

Attending the launch of the Africa office of the IIDE were from the left Prof Sytse Strijbos (Chairperson of IIDE Europe), Rev Kiepie Jaftha (Chairperson of the IIDE in Africa’s Board of Directors and Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS) and Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS).

 

Attending the launch were from the left Prof Lucius Botes (Director: Centre of Development Support at the UFS), Dr Samuel Kareithi (Head: Community Development at the Cornerstone Christian College, Cape Town), Rev Kiepie Jaftha (Chairperson of the IIDE in Africa’s Board of Directors and Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS), Prof Sytse Strijbos (Chairperson of IIDE Europe) and Dr Ezekiel Moraka (Vice-Rector:  Student Affairs at the UFS).

Africa office of IIDE launched on UFS main campus 

The Africa office of the International Institute for Development and Ethics (IIDE) was today (26 May 2006) launched on the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein.

“The IIDE specialises in the studying and research of general questions of developmental theory and practices and provides services and support in education, strategic planning, policy formulation, advocacy and capacity building of development agencies,” said Rev Kiepie Jaftha, Chairperson of the IIDE in Africa’s Board of Directors and Chief Director: Community Service at the UFS.

According to Rev Jaftha the IIDE in Africa will focus on the conceptual and normative aspects of developmental processes in Sub-Saharan Africa.  “We want to foster local and international partnerships with various relevant role-players in civil society, the private sector and public sector in the SACD region and later expand our operations to the rest of Africa,” said Rev Jaftha.

The IIDE in Africa cooperates with a similar foundation in Europe, functioning as the IIDE Europe.  This institute was founded in 2003 and its head office is situated in the Netherlands.  The UFS is a funder of the IIDE in Africa together with the Paul Foundation and private sponsors from the Netherlands.

“We have already started with various projects which are in various stages of implementation,” said Rev Jaftha.  Some of these projects include, among others, the broadening of the master’s degree in Christian Studies of Science and Society (MACSSS) which is currently housed at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam to tertiary institutions in South Africa such as the UFS, the University of Stellenbosch and the Potchefstroom Campus of the Northwest University.

“Another project is an investigation into the possibility of initiating a broad development initiative in the poverty stricken Qwaqwa area.  This initiative will attempt to concentrate on issues like the training and empowerment of prospective entrepreneurs in the region, the identification of prospective entrepreneurs for the rendering of development support and the monitoring of the impact of information and communication technology on local communities during the implementation of sustainable development initiatives,” said Rev Jaftha.

“The establishment of the Africa office of the IIDE on the UFS Main Campus is an indication of one of the aims of the UFS to play a role in South Africa and Africa.  It also signifies our aim to contribute meaningfully to research and development and to establish links between the academe and practice,” said Rev Jaftha. 

 

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
26 May 2006

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