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Siphilangenkosi Dlamini named one of South Africa’s 100 Shining Stars

11 November 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Barend Nagel

Siphilangenkosi Dlamini, a fourth-year Governance and Political Transformation student at the University of the Free State (UFS), has been selected as one of South Africa’s 100 Shining Stars for 2022 by Inside Education, in partnership with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).

“I was more surprised than anything, but also very honoured,” he said. Dlamini, who made it into the Civil Society and Youth category, was chosen from a pool of 800 applicants for his remarkable work with the Help a Student initiative, and his services as the former secretary of the Southern Africa Scout Youth Forum. Although he could not attend the award ceremony held in Johannesburg on 20 October 2022 in person, Dlamini did receive a certificate. “What we do a lot of the time isn’t for recognition and it’s not necessarily for awards; but getting recognised motivates and assures me that the work we are doing has an impact,” he expressed.

The Help a Student Initiative

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dlamini recognised a rise in food insecurity among his fellow students. This set him on a path to source funding for the establishment of the project.

The Help a Student initiative aimed to curb food insecurity through the provision of food parcels to UFS students who were in need. The project, which ran from 2020 until early 2021, managed to distribute food parcels to nearly 250 students per month. The initiative did not only assist students who were on campus. The selected applicants who were at home or off campus also received digital food vouchers, which allowed for the purchasing of food items at Pick n Pay and/or Shoprite.

“Food security is something that I am passionate about. I grew up in a community where it was a massive issue.

However, in the past I was not empowered enough to know how to solve it. Therefore, when the opportunity presented itself to do something about it, I took it with both hands,” Dlamini expressed.

Although the recognition was not expected, Dlamini maintains that such platforms are imperative, as “they demonstrate that young people are doing something to improve the country in the different capacities they are in”.

News Archive

Lots of inspiration at Autumn Graduation Ceremony

2013-04-08

Photo: Hannes Pieterse
27 March 2013

The university’s Autumn Graduation Ceremony promises to be another special occasion, with speakers from South Africa and abroad that will address the graduates.

A total of 526 diplomas/certificates and 2 796 bachelor’s and honours degrees will be awarded at the ceremony. The diplomas/certificates and degrees will be awarded during eight ceremonies in the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus from 16 to 19 April 2013.

Well-known radio host and Idols South Africa judge, Gareth Cliff, will be the guest speaker at two ceremonies on 18 April 2013. He will be joined by Vicus Visser, the South African YouTube singing sensation dubbed Bloemfontein’s Justin Bieber. Vicus and his brother Vincent, will perform during the two ceremonies.

Graduates will also be able to draw inspiration from the American student and tap dancer, Joshua Johnson, whom overseas media report widely about. Joshua inspired American audiences with his story of hope and perseverance. The student from Penn State University travels five hours by bus to New York every weekend, where he dances on the subway train to earn money for his tuition fees.

Joshua has appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and his story has also been told in the New York Times and on the American news programme ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.

Joshua will be the guest speaker at the ceremonies on 16, 17 and 19 April 2013. He will also deliver a dance item.

The programme for the respective ceremonies is:

Tuesday 16 April

09:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of the Humanities: only Social Sciences and Communication Science.
14:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of the Humanities: Social Sciences and Communication Science excluded.

Wednesday 17 April

09:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Education.
14:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculties of Health Sciences, Law and Theology.

Thursday 18 April

09:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: only Agricultural Sciences and Architecture.
14:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: only Natural Sciences.

Friday 19 April

09:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: all diplomas and degrees in the Faculty, except BCom and BComHons.
14:30 Diplomas and certificates up to and including honours degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: only BCom and BComHons.

The Qwaqwa Campus’ graduation ceremony will take place on 8 June 2013. Diplomas/certificates up to and including doctorates will be awarded at this ceremony.

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