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08 June 2023 | Story Nosethu Badlezana | Photo Supplied
Nosethu Badlezana
Nosethu Badlezana, Academic Facilitator: Centre for Teaching and Learning

The University of the Free State (UFS) is celebrating Youth Month by showcasing the positive influence of the institution on career development. As part of this initiative, we are sharing the stories of UFS alumni who are now working at the university.

Nosethu Badlezana shares her UFS journey:

Q: Year of graduation from the UFS: 
A: I completed my undergraduate degree in 2015 and thereafter obtained my honours in 2016.

Q: Qualification obtained from the UFS: 
A: The first degree I obtained was a BA in Communication with specialisation in Media Studies and Journalism. I then made the decision to pursue my honours degree in the same field.

Q: Date of joining the UFS as a staff member: 
A: In 2016, I began my internship on the Qwaqwa Campus with the Centre for Teaching and Learning’s former Curriculum Delivery and Innovation Division, which is now known as the Blended Learning Innovation Support and Services Division. The following year, upon completion of my internship, I was appointed as an Assistant Officer in the Academic Language and Literacy Development Division within the same department. Then, in 2022, I was promoted to the role of Academic Facilitator.

Q: How did the UFS prepare you for the professional world?
A: During my time as a student at the UFS, I followed a comprehensive curriculum that equipped me with essential skills to thrive in a professional setting. Through a diverse range of modules, I developed proficiencies in crucial areas, including time management, effective communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, self-management, and collaborative teamwork.

Q: What are your thoughts on transitioning from a UFS alumnus to a staff member? 
A: It's a fascinating journey, one that feels like a way of giving back to the community that nurtured and shaped me. Assisting students to achieve success in higher education doesn't feel like a burden to me, as I once walked the same path as a student at this institution. The UFS has provided me with a valuable network of support and mentorship, which has been instrumental in fostering a sense of security and confidence in my chosen career path.

News Archive

Kovsie student aims for the record books
2011-10-11

 
Potential Guinness World Record-holder, Hermann van Heerden
Photo: Phelekwa Mpono

The Guinness World Record for the longest continuous wheelie in a wheelchair was achieved by Michael Miller of the United States, who covered a distance of 16,12 km on the rear wheels of his wheelchair on 8 August 2009.

On 11 October 2011, Hermann van Heerden, a second-year Kovsie student, will attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the longest wheelie in a wheelchair in a stationary position. The 22-year-old disabled student from the University of the Free State (UFS) will manoeuvre his wheelchair so that the front wheels lift off the ground.

Hermann, who is studying for a BEd degree, was born with spina bifida, a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. He has been in a wheelchair since he was a toddler.

Hermann’s Guinness World Record attempt forms part of the ten-year celebrations of the Unit for Students with Disabilities (USD) at the UFS. The unit was established in February 2001, with fifteen registered students, but currently supports 143 registered students. The USD focuses on promoting equity for students with disabilities, including access to courses, buildings, learning materials, residences, leisure and sports activities and the opportunity to succeed in such activities.

The unit supports students with specific learning difficulties (dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder); mobility–impaired students (wheelchair users and amputees, as well as those suffering from cerebral palsy, muscle dystrophy, spina bifida and multiple sclerosis); visually-impaired students; hearing-impaired students, students suffering from “other” conditions (mental impairment ((schizophrenia)), epilepsy, panic disorder) and those with temporary impairments (broken hand).

Hermann said that he would like to use his record attempt as a means of raising money for the USD and welcomes sponsorships. “The USD has only been good to me ever since I registered at the UFS. Every time I had a question, they answered it. Every time I had a problem with a class, they resolved it. This year, the unit has its ten-year anniversary and I thought it was time for me to give back.”
 

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