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#YouthMonth: Celebrating youth empowerment (Annelize Kruger)

09 June 2023 | Story Annelize Kruger | Photo Supplied

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.

Annelize Kruger, Lecturer at the Department of Occupational Therapy, shares her UFS journey:

Q: Year of graduation from the UFS:

A: 2015 and 2020.

Q: Qualification obtained from the UFS:

A: Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy.

Q: Date of joining the UFS as a staff member:

A: 2022.

Q: Initial job title and current job title:

A: Lecturer.

Q: How did the UFS prepare you for the professional world?

A: The UFS gave me the foundation to be competent in my profession, and the ability to think critically and apply myself in different contexts.

Q: What are your thoughts on transitioning from a UFS alumnus to a staff member?

A: It is an honour to train the future generation of occupational therapists, and exciting to be involved in research that drives our profession forward. It has been an overall positive experience.

News Archive

Pres Steyn turns pink in anticipation of Vryfees

2014-06-06

Video clip
Live streaming

Australian artist Cigdem Aydemir vacuum packed the Pres Steyn monument on the Bloemfontein Campus’s Red Plain – in pink. Aydemir’s project, ‘Plastic Histories’, forms part of a public art project that encourages us to evaluate public monuments in their historical context.

By vacuum packing monuments, Aydemir alludes to their significance and preservation. At the same time, though, it reveals the nature of their contentious and gendered historical function. This is because most monuments in post-colonial countries typically celebrate men’s achievements in serving their nations.

In response, this project acknowledges the contribution of women from all races, communities and sexual orientations to the grand narrative of a post-apartheid South Africa.

Aydemir is also developing an app in collaboration with Australian artist Warren Armstrong. This will be used for augmented reality viewing of three city monuments – those of President Brand, General De Wet and General Hertzog. This means that visitors will be able to hold a smart phone or iPad in front of the monuments and view the monuments as if vacuum packed in pink plastic.

In conjunction with the public art project there will be an exhibition of digitally manipulated photographs of nineteen-century and contemporary male monuments in Bloemfontein. These photos will be exhibited at the Johannes Stegmann Gallery at the UFS Sasol Library from 15 July – 1 August 2014.

Public tours on the Bloemfontein Campus and into the city will take place on:

• Tuesday 15 July at 11:00,
• Wednesday 16 July at 14:00, and
• Saturday 19 July at 11:00.

Aydemir’s ‘Plastic Histories’ public art project is part of the UFS Programme for Innovation in Artform Development (PIAD) and the Vryfees arts festival’s partnership with the Australian-based SituateArt in Festivals initiative. This partnership is managed by the Salamanca Arts Centre in Tasmania.