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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 unveils portrait of Ms Winkie Direko

2005-11-28

During the unveiling ceremony were from the left Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS), Mrs Direko, Judge Faan Hancke (Chairperson of the UFS Council) and Dr Charles Nwaila (Director-General of the Free State Provincial Government and Vice-Chairperson of the UFS Council). The blue background of the portrait depicts Ms Direko's philosophy of "the sky is the limit". She also wore the same outfit as what she has on in the portrait. Photo: Stephen Collett

UFS unveils portrait of Ms Winkie Direko
A portrait of Ms Winkie Direko, former Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS) and Premier of the Free State Province and currently a Member of Parliament, was unveiled today during the last session of the UFS Council for this year on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The portrait, painted by the gifted artist Ms Reshada Crouse, now hangs in the Council Chambers of the UFS.

Ms Direko was sworn in as Chancellor of the UFS in August 1999. She was the first black person and first woman in this position at the UFS. She was succeeded by Dr Franklin Sonn.

“Ms Direko had an exceptional legitimacy in the black community because of her role in black education in the Free State (as principal) and community leader in the difficult ‘struggle’ period. This former principal’s simultaneous insistence on transformation as well as discipline and order at an educational institution was exactly what the UFS needed at that stage,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, during the unveiling ceremony.

“She also played a special role to bring the UFS and the Free State Provincial Government closer to each other. Her comprehension for the own nature of a university helped in times when difficult decisions had to be made. She also realised the value of the university’s expertise for her government. The Premier’s Economic Advisory Council, with the UFS rector and academics like Lucius Botes and James Moses in leading roles, was formed to undertake important research on economic development strategies in the Free State,” said Prof Fourie.

In her speech Ms Direko said that it is an unique experience for her to be catalogued in the history of the UFS. “I am humbled and proud to be associated with the UFS,” she said.

Ms Direko said that the UFS is on the right track with its transformation process. “I will continue to convince people that the UFS is for everyone and will fight for that until the end. But, it is important to see a visible change concerning transformation. The UFS must bring its side and speed up the transformation process. I know that it is a difficult road, but we cannot hide from the realities of our time,” she said.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
25 November 2005

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