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26 August 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Supplied
Katleho Nkosi
Katleho Nkosi’s design, which won him second place in the national design competition during the Student Entrepreneurship Week 2022.

Katleho Nkosi, a fourth-year Education student at the University of the Free State (UFS), obtained second place in a national design competition hosted virtually by Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE). 

The national design competition formed part of the launch of the Student Entrepreneurship Week 2022, which took place at the University of Venda on 18 August 2022. As such, students from many of the universities in the country, including Nkosi, took part in designing a poster that would be used to advertise the event. 

Nkosi is delighted and excited about this accomplishment. “This win was really surprising and unbelievable for me, because obtaining the second-place position means that my work is good,” said Nkosi.

The participants were allowed to conceptualise and submit their final product between 28 June and 15 July 2022. “I had no experience in this space, I only designed content for fun, and I participated in this competition because I was motivated by a friend,” Nkosi highlighted. 

Click to view document  Click here to view poster in full size.


The motivation behind the design

Since the Student Entrepreneurship Week was held at the University of Venda, Nkosi used the vibrancy and colourfulness of Venda as inspiration for his design. “When I was designing the poster, the only thing on my mind was making sure that I put something together that was related to Venda,” he explained. In addition, the theme for the Entrepreneurship Week was ‘Move to Market’, and Nkosi asserts that he tried to integrate the theme with Venda, and this is how the design came about.

The outcome of the competition and future plans

Although Nkosi did not win the competition, he did receive a cash prize for being among the top three. Furthermore, given his accomplishment, Nkosi would like to take part in many more design competitions moving forward. “Now that I have realised that I have the potential to win, I think I can take this as a career path in the future,” he said. Nkosi is also looking at merging his love of teaching with his newfound love for design. “I’m going to try and find the connection between design and education, because I really love to teach, so I could perhaps become a design teacher,” Nkosi expressed

News Archive

Spring graduation an event second to none
2013-09-16

 

Chester Missing 'accompanied' by Conrad Koch
Photo: Lelanie de Wet
19 September 2013

  Photo Gallery
Chester Missing: YouTube video
Graduation ceremony: YouTube video

This year’s Spring Graduation on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State was a truly unique event.

From the moment Shenley Pretorius, a blind singer, opened her mouth to sing, a sensational ceremony unfolded in front of the 650 graduandi, their family and friends. The political analyst, puppet Chester Missing, was ‘released’ from his suitcase and – true to form – unleashed a pandora’s box of hilarity into the crowd. From beginning to end, the programme provided an occasion to be remembered for years to come.

Fifteen-year-old Shenley Pretorius, a Grade 9 learner at the Prinshof School for the Visually Impaired in Pretoria, performed her self-composed song, ‘I see you with my soul,’ sending shivers into the audience, followed by a version of Lady Antebellum’s ‘Never Alone’.

After her performance, a bustling Conrad Koch prepared the audience for his puppet, Chester Missing’s stream of whimsical satire. The on-stage antics of this cheeky ‘political commentator’ had the crowd crying with laughter with the now-famous twerk and did not disappoint with his ample mockery of politicians and celebrities. From President Jacob Zuma, Helen Zille, Julius Malema, Zwelinzima Vavi, Larry King to the cellphone manufacturer, Blackberry – nobody was spared.

In his speech, Prof Jansen highlighted the achievements of current and former Kovsie students. Sharing the stage with Prof Jansen was just such an example – former UFS student Johan Cronje. Recently, Cronje palmed in a bronze medal in the 1 500 m at the World Championships in Moscow.

"Don’t worry about where you came from. Worry about where you are headed to. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or couldn’t do." With these words, Prof Jansen sent the new Kovsie graduates into the world.

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