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Dr Reabetswe Parkies: A journey to achievement

20 April 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Charl Devenish

Rea Parkies — Dr Reabetswe Parkies, Senior Officer in Marketing within the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), graduates with a PhD in Business Management at the April 2024 graduations.

The April 2024 graduations at the University of the Free State (UFS) mark a significant moment for graduates in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS), including Dr Reabetswe Parkies, whose journey in attaining a PhD in Business Management has been one of dedication and perseverance.

Reflecting on the upcoming ceremony, Dr Parkies expressed mixed emotions, encapsulating the essence of her journey: ‘’As I prepare to walk across that stage, I'm filled with a mixture of emotions—excitement, pride, nostalgia, and perhaps a hint of apprehension about what lies ahead.’’ This moment represents the culmination of years of hard work and commitment to her academic pursuits.

Dr Parkies’s doctoral thesis, titled “Student self-employment in South Africa: A triple helix model, entrepreneurial competence and social support perspective,” delves into the complex dynamics of student entrepreneurship within the South African context. Her study aims to develop a comprehensive model for understanding self-employment, incorporating factors such as entrepreneurial competence, social support, and the role of the university, industry and government initiatives.

A culmination of years of hard work

The path to achieving her PhD was not without its challenges. Balancing her responsibilities as a Senior Officer in Marketing at the UFS with the demands of academic research required meticulous time management and personal sacrifice. ‘’As time went on, I found my rhythm and developed strategies to become more efficient and effective,’’ Dr Parkies explained. She credits her successful completion of the PhD to the unwavering support of her supervisors and her determination.

As she prepares to celebrate this milestone, Dr Parkies looks ahead to future contributions to her field. ’’By delving deeper into my area of expertise, I aim to uncover new insights and share these findings with the academic community through scholarly articles,’’ she remarked, emphasising her commitment to ongoing research and knowledge dissemination.

Dr Reabetswe Parkies's achievement serves as an inspiration to aspiring scholars and underscores the importance of perseverance and dedication in pursuing academic excellence. Her journey exemplifies the ethos of the University of the Free State in fostering academic growth and scholarly inquiry.

News Archive

NBC tells Wayde’s story

2015-11-02

The film crew from NBC Olympics
filming Wayde van Niekerk (centre, in grey clothes)
during a practice session at Pellies Park on the
Bloemfontein Campus of the UFS.
On the left is Ans Botha, Van Niekerk’s coach.
Photo: Charl Devenish

The Kovsie star Wayde van Niekerk stands an excellent chance of shining at the 2016 Olympics and has a remarkable story behind his success.

This is why NBC Olympics, a division of the American broadcasting network NBC, selected the athlete from the University of the Free State (UFS) to do a special insert for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

A film crew from NBC visited the City of Roses and the Bloemfontein Campus of the UFS on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October 2015 to film the insert. The feature will be screened on NBC Olympics’ platforms during and leading up to the Olympics next year.

One of four stars

Van Niekerk was one of four athletes used by the crew to film inserts on. The others were the South African swimmer Chad le Clos, the Kenyan 800 m athlete David Rudisha, and Ethiopian middle- and long-distance athlete Genzebe Dibaba.

The crew interviewed Van Niekerk and his coach Ans Botha, and also paid a visit to Pellies Park during one of his training sessions.

According to Tom Davidson, feature producer at NBC Olympics, the piece about Van Niekerk will be about three minutes long.

“We do a pretty good job of picking good stories, but it is up to the athletes to get there,” Davidson said.

“We think Wayde has a good shot at being in the finals of the 400 m at the Olympics.”

Van Niekerk won a gold medal in a time of 43.48 s at the World Championships in Beijing during August 2015 and set a new South African record for a third time and a new African record for a second time this year in the process.

Beijing success propels Wayde onto NBC radar

“Wayde’s performance in Beijing certainly propelled him onto our radar,” said Davidson.

“He beat former World and Olympic champions like Kirani James and LaShawn Merritt.”

He feels that Van Niekerk is also very young and still at university.

And Botha makes his story even more interesting.

“It is not every day that you see a 74-year old great-grandmother coaching a world champion.”

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