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UFS celebrates new graduates during December graduation ceremonies

28 November 2023 | Story Valentino Ndaba

General Post, GRADS DEC 2023 — It’s time for the UFS’s December graduation ceremonies!

Esteemed guest speakers

Tirelo Sibisi, Vice-Chairperson of the UFS Council, will be the distinguished guest speaker on the first day of graduations. Sibisi boasts an illustrious career, with over two decades of experience in human resource management, including notable roles at AngloGold Ashanti, the country's biggest cement manufacturer (PPC Cement), IBM, and Telkom. Her contributions extend to various boards and committees, showcasing her expertise and dedication to various fields.

Dr Anchen Laubscher, who also serves on the UFS Council, will take the stage as guest speaker on the second day. Dr Laubscher is currently the Group Medical Director of Netcare Ltd, leading the strategic oversight and operational execution of clinical and quality-related matters. Her commitment to healthcare excellence and leadership, coupled with being the first female President of the UFS Student Representative Council (SRC), exemplifies her remarkable achievements.

Chancellor’s Medallist

Professor Mattheus Lötter is set to finally receive the prestigious Chancellor’s Medal from the Faculty of Health Sciences. This conferral was postponed from the April 2023 graduation ceremonies due to a personal loss experienced by Prof Lötter. This will mark a pivotal point in his distinguished career, allowing him to celebrate a noteworthy accomplishment.

Details of the ceremonies

The festivities are set to commence on 7 December 2023, starting at 09:00 with the graduations for the Faculty of The Humanities, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and the Faculty of Theology and Religion. The day concludes with ceremonies for the Faculty of Education, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, and the Faculty of Law, all beginning at 14:30.

The celebration continues on 8 December 2023, at 09:00, as graduands from the Faculty of Health Sciences proudly take the stage.

For further information and updates on the UFS 2023 December graduation ceremonies, click here.

News Archive

Louzanne smashes world record despite strong wind

2017-04-13

Louzanne Coetzee and her guide
Khothatso Mokone.
Photo: Johan Roux

Despite the terribly windy conditions at this year’s Nedbank National Championships for the Physically Disabled, Louzanne Coetzee managed to improve her world record in the 5 000 m race.

Record improved by almost 40 seconds
Last year, Coetzee, who works at the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice at the University of the Free State (UFS), was the first blind athlete to complete the 5 000 m race in less than 20 minutes.

Her own record in the 5 000 m race (T11 category) was 19:17.06 and with the help of her guide, Khothatso Mokone, she improved it by almost 40 seconds. The new national record now stands at 18:37.23.

Coetzee says the evening before the race the winds were terrible, and she started to wonder what would happen during her race. “Even though the wind was a bit tough, overall it was a good race,” she says.

Overjoyed by exceptional time
She says that when she heard her time was a new record, she was completely overjoyed and could not believe it. “I was aiming to run just under 19 seconds but when I heard that my time was not only a personal best but also a new world record, I was over the moon.”

The Championships took place from 31 March to 4 April in Port Elizabeth. Coetzee and Mokone will be in action in a Grand Prix in Switzerland next month.

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