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#YouthMonth: Celebrating youth empowerment (Kate Poen)

28 June 2023 | Story Kate Poen | 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.

Kate Poen, Academic Adviser in the Centre for Teaching and Learning, shares her UFS journey:

Q: Year of graduation from the UFS:

A: April 2018 and 2023.

Q: Qualification obtained from the UFS:

A: BSocSci Honours in Psychology and PGDip in Higher Education.

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

A: I joined the UFS as a staff member in 2017.

Q: Initial job title and current job title:

A: My initial job was as a Teaching Assistant for UFS101 (now UFSS) under Transition Development and Success (TDS) and I am currently an Academic Adviser under Advising, Access, and Success (AAS) in the Centre for Teaching and Learning.

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

A: The UFS has taught me responsibility and accountability as a professional. It instilled in me the competence of lifelong learning, to consistently develop myself personally and professionally, as well as the ability to always innovate my skills, and not only be an individual able to compete on a national level, but globally in the higher education space as well.

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

A: Transitioning from a UFS alumnus to a staff member has been interesting. Being a UFS alumnus in my experience opens the door to opportunities for growth and development, even with the challenges it does bring. It is a personal choice as to whether one sees and uses the opportunities. What it does provide one with is definitely an informed perspective of the staff experiences, especially support staff.

Q: Any additional comments about your experience?

A: I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve been afforded at the institution to not only grow as an individual, but also to make a difference and a little impact in the work that I do daily. Grateful for the relationships I was also able to establish with colleagues in different spaces on all three of our campuses.

News Archive

Thinking stone artist on his way to Italy

2015-04-29

Willem Boshoff

Professor extraordinary at the UFS Department of Fine Art, Willem Boshoff, together with other South African artists, will represent the country next month at the Venice Biennale.

The 56th Biennale takes place between 9 May and 22 November 2015. It is regarded as the world’s most important art event, with 53 countries taking part. This year the artists will take part in the exhibition entitled What remains is Tomorrow, which will take place in the Arsenal complex in the Italian city of Venice, where it will be on view.

Boshoff was responsible for one of the sculptures known as the Thinking Stone, that may be seen in the middle of the Bloemfontein Campus, in front of the Main Building and next to Red Square.

This work consists of a 32-ton black granite block excavated from the Boschpoort stone quarry in Belfast, Mpumalanga. The block has engravings that are copies of the prehistoric rock paintings (also known as petroglyphs) from Driekopseiland (a prehistoric rock art area near Kimberley). Together with the engravings, on the front of the block, there are sand-blasted inscriptions in six languages of verses and well-known quotations that refer to the word “rock”. These inspire further thought and contemplation. Boshoff has created similar works, including Children of the stars, situated at the Cradle of Mankind.

Boshoff is also known for very innovative and conceptual works, and has created various public artworks, both nationally and internationally. His work includes commissions from the University of Johannesburg, The Constitutional Court, the Mpumalanga Legislature in Nelspruit, and South Africa House in London’s Trafalgar Square.

His work focuses regularly on relationships and social interaction. Generally, they are also the subject of subsequent discussions.

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