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29 March 2022
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Story Teli Mothabeng
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Photo Supplied
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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.
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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.
Vusi Thembekwayo enthrals Kovsies
2016-08-18
Vusi Thembekwayo delivered an impressive
lecture at UFS
Kovsies students and aspiring entrepreneurs who attended Vusi Thembekwayo’s Like a Boss: Show me the Money lecture will certainly agree that he is indeed the “Rockstar of public speaking”.
Through his sublime oratory skills, blended with flagrant humour, the seasoned serial entrepreneur captivated the capacity audience at the University of the Free State’s EBW Auditorium.
The lecture’s main purpose was for the 31-year-old - who has already achieved immense success in business - to offer valuable business advice and financial literacy. And he did just that.
Thembekwayo explained how innovation has always been driven by necessity. He also mentioned why he believes black people were struggling to build or grow sustainable businesses in the country.
“There is no black capital in SA. There are no schools to teach black people how to start businesses,” Thembekwayo said.
He said black people often opted out of their societal problems in spite of being conscious of them. This was a reference to the visible trend of black people who pursue success for their own personal enrichment.
For the country to solve these problems, amongst many others, Thembekwayo stressed that a labour absorptive economy, which also creates entrepreneurial opportunities, is essential.
Mechanical engineer and World Economic Forum (WEF) Innovator of the Year Award recipient, Nneile Nkholise and Dr Johan van Zyl, from the UFS Centre for Development Support were guest speakers at the event.