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Six years into the Star of Stars competition and it’s only getting brighter

29 March 2022 | Story Teli Mothabeng | Photo Supplied

Philmon Bitso, Student Recruitment Officer, with the top-10 cohort of the class of 2021 Free State Star of Stars.

The Department of Student Recruitment Services at the University of the Free State (UFS) hosted its annual Free State Star of Stars competition at the Amanzi Private Game Reserve during the first week of March. The event saw some of the brightest young minds in the Free State inducted as UFS first-year students into this year’s top-10 cohort for the competition. This marks the first Star of Stars event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This new cohort consists of a dynamic group of academically gifted students from Quintile 1-3 schools in the Free State who are currently enrolled for different UFS academic programmes, ranging from Medicine, Law, Education, and various Bachelor of Science courses. Many of these students had to overcome insurmountable challenges to perform as well as they did in their Grade 12 academic year and to become part of the top-10 cohort for the class of 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Student Recruitment Services was forced to take a different approach to celebrate these deserving students; consequently, a weekend-long induction camp was the substitute for the annual gala dinner.

Apply for the 2022 Free State Star of Stars competition

The UFS realised the need to establish a platform that recognises and celebrates the diverse and, in most instances, difficult circumstances that disadvantaged schools (Quintile 1-3) are facing. Consequently, the Star of Stars competition was developed and established in 2016. This competition provides disadvantaged Grade 12 learners from all districts in the Free State an opportunity to showcase their excellence, while motivating them to aspire to achieve more.

Star of Stars Flyer 2022 aplicayion for the 2022 Free State Star of Stars competition open on 1 April 2022.

News Archive

UFS architects receive SAIA award

2003-11-07

Two staff members of the University of the Free State’s Department of Architecture received a merit award from the South African Institute for Architects (SAIA) for the unique way in which they designed their home.

Prof Jan and Mrs Petria Smit’s home in Waverley, Bloemfontein is built against a hill and designed in such a way that the natural surroundings are retained. The house is built on various levels and open spaces and a lot of light is used. The children’s rooms are for example not built up to the ceiling in order to break walls out if more space is needed.

For the two architects the natural surroundings in the cityscape depict an African mask because the strong face-like public image is sheltering the inhabitants behind it.

A total of 12 architectural projects country wide received merit awards from the SAIA. Some of the projects include the South African Apartheids Museum, Unilever’s Head Office in Durban, the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature in Nelspruit and the Westcliff Estate in Johannesburg. The Smit residence is one of only two residences that received merit awards.

From these projects the PG Group SAIA Award for Excellence will be awarded in August 2004. This is the highest accolade that the SAIA and the architectural profession can accord to a building.

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