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#YouthMonth: Celebrating youth empowerment (Refiloe Shedile)

29 June 2023 | Story Refiloe Shedile | 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.

Refiloe Shedile, Online Assessment Coordinator in the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), shares her UFS journey:

Q: Year of graduation from the UFS:

A: I completed my undergraduate degree in 2015, followed by my honours degree in 2016.

Q: Qualification obtained from the UFS:

A: My first qualification was a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. After that, I pursued a Bachelor of Commerce Honours qualification with specialisation in Industrial Psychology.

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

A: I started my journey as a staff member at the UFS through an internship programme in the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) on 1 June 2017.

Q: Initial job title and current job title:

A: My internship focused on technology in teaching and learning, specifically working with assessments on the Questionmark platform. After the internship, I was appointed as an assistant officer in CTL’s Writing Centre (Unit for Language Development); however, I only held this position for four months before there was an opportunity to move back to the division in which I completed my internship. In October 2018, I rejoined the online assessment team as the Questionmark Coordinator and have been working in this role ever since.

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

A: There are numerous initiatives offered by the university that prepared me for the world of work, i.e. the onboarding and new staff orientation sessions conducted by HR; my department also gave me a clear understanding of my individual and team responsibilities, the divisional procedures and culture, and how our work contributed to the larger institutional mission and vision. I was well supported in the team and provided with the necessary resources to excel in my role. Moreover, CTL’s environment enabled me to build strong social connections that continue to be invaluable.

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

A: Transitioning from being a UFS alumnus to a staff member was an exciting experience. There was an initial adjustment period to adapt to a nine to five routine; however, I was fortunate enough to join an amazing team led by an inspiring mentor/ line manager. As a Kovsie, you get to develop valuable skills such as optimism, hard work, and resilience; these skills were essential to thrive within the university’s fast-paced environment. Additionally, I believe that being familiar with the UFS environment and culture made it easy for me to better understand and cater for the needs of the students, drawing on my own experiences as a former student. This enabled me to perform my job diligently and effectively.

Q: Any additional comments about your experience?

A: One of my favourite moments about becoming a UFS staff member was the opportunity to work with some of my former lecturers. It was an intriguing experience, being on the other side now, shifting my perspective and seeing them as colleagues rather than just lecturers. This shift in dynamics added a special aspect to my overall experience at the university.

News Archive

Breyten Breytenbach shares his words and philosophies

2013-03-05

Breyten Breytenbach
Photo: Johan Roux
02 March 2013

The Department of Philosophy at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted Breyten Breytenbach as part of its Colloquium series.

In a packed Odeion theatre, Breytenbach shared his words and views relating to poetry and philosophy. The session was chaired by Prof Pieter Duvenhage from the Department of Philosophy, who noted the symbiotic relationship which exists between the two seemingly distinct disciplines.

Breytenbach is one of South Africa’s best-known literary sons, gaining worldwide recognition for his writings and poetry, as well as his political activism against the erstwhile Apartheid regime. He left the country in 1960 due to Apartheid and settled in Paris where his first collection of poetry was published in 1964. It was the beginning of a prizewinning literary career spanning multiple languages and decades.

He returned illegally in 1975 in order to agitate against the repressive National Party government, but was arrested, spending seven years in prison after being charged with terrorism.

The audience was treated to a reading from an unpublished work from Breytenbach, A letter to my daughter. The lengthy letter outlined Breytenbach's world views, his sense of the creative process, his philosophies and his takes on current and historical events.

A large part of the letter focused on the philosophical and emotional processes involved in writing.“Writing is the travelling of its own landscape; landscapes and rooms that may always have been there,” he said.

He noted that it’s not always an easy process, and that sometimes writers need to explore the abysses, which can be unnerving.

“In this regard it is important to know that emptiness exists,” he said.

He stressed his concern over some of the problems the country currently faces, especially the abuse of state institutions. He was especially worried about the abuse of power. He warned that “power has its own predatory identity,” often abused and misused by those who wield it.

Despite his misgivings, Breytenbach still retains his optimism for the country and its people. He remarked that the country and its many diverse cultures resembles a “fantastic patchwork blanket,” one that should be cherished and protected.

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