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Star of Stars induction camp: Celebrating excellence and building futures

28 February 2023 | Story Samkelo Fetile | Photo Supplied

The 2022 cohort of the University of the Free State (UFS) Star of Stars programme were welcomed to the university with a special Star of Stars induction camp held at the Letsatsi Game Lodge in Smithfield in the Free State. The exclusive event was held to celebrate the top 10 students who made it into the 2022 cohort of the Star of Stars programme, which identifies and supports top-achieving learners from underprivileged backgrounds.

Star of Stars is an initiative of the UFS Student Recruitment Services department to identify high-achieving Grade 12 learners from quintile 1 to 3 schools in all five districts of the Free State.

Entries are evaluated in three categories, i.e. academic performance, leadership achievements, and community involvement. Ten finalists are selected after a rigorous judging and evaluation process. The competition opens opportunities for the finalists to excel academically through personal development, counselling, and mentorship.

The induction camp is a crucial part of this support system, and includes workshops on thriving in an academic environment, financial literacy, personal development seminars, and vision board sessions.

More than just a weekend of celebration

The students were treated to a fun-filled weekend away and rewarded with prizes such as branded clothing, stationery, and cash prizes. “These incentives were not just a way to celebrate their achievements but also to encourage them to continue striving for excellence. It was also an opportunity for the students to meet and connect with each other. They shared their stories, aspirations, and challenges. They also built networks and support structures that will help them succeed beyond the competition.” Said Teli Mothabeng, officer at the Student Recruitment Services department.

The Letsatsi Game Lodge was the perfect backdrop for this event, as the students had the opportunity to unwind and connect with nature, which was a much-needed break from the daily challenges they face in their communities. The environment also provided an ideal setting for introspection and goal-setting. The Star of Stars induction camp was a celebration of their achievements, and a vital part of their journey towards success. The Star of Stars competition aims to create a brighter future for underprivileged communities by identifying and supporting the next generation of leaders. The induction camp was a crucial step in this direction.

Applications for the Star of Stars competition for learners who are in Grade 12 in 2023 and are interested in studying at UFS in 2024 open on 1 April and close on 31 August 2023.

News Archive

UFS gets support for improving university access and success in South Africa

2013-10-24

Members of the SASSE Research team are from left: Carike Jordaan, Dr Francois Strydom, Lana Swart, Seisho Gaboutlwelweboutlwelwakemo, Michael Henn en Katleho Nyaile.
Photo: Supplied
24 October 2013

The university’s Centre of Teaching and Learning (CTL) received a grant for US$820 000 (about R8 million) from the Kresge Foundation for their South African Survey of Student Engagement (SASSE) research team.

The SASSE research team is committed to furthering student access with success by promoting quality teaching and learning institutionally and promoting collective impact around student success nationally.

Through this three-year project, the SASSE team aims to provide a range of deeply contextualised and globally benchmarked student engagement measures that can be used at institutional and module/course level for the South African context. The data from these measures can be used to improve the quality of undergraduate teaching and learning, and participating institutions will have access to appropriate capacity development interventions to empower them to use the data to promote evidence-based change in their institutions.

Dr Francois Strydom, Academic Director at the CTL, says the lessons from this higher-education project could be used to develop a stronger post-school sector which could help the country to deal with the massive challenge of youth unemployment; thereby promoting equity, social justice and a prosperous democracy in South Africa.

The Kresge Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation in the United States, which is focused on creating opportunity for low-income people through various programmes. This three-year project forms part of the Kresge Foundation’s Education Programme, which focuses on promoting access and success at South African universities. Therefore the SASSE project aims to contribute to the Kresge-sponsored Access and Success in Higher Education in South Africa (ASHESA), to promote a national conversation on improving student success.

In January this year, the university was one of four South African universities selected to take part in a multi-million rand programme to bolster private fund-raising and advancement efforts. For this programme the UFS was granted US$640 000 (about R5,6 million) over a period of five years.

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