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Dr Mutshidzi Mulondo’s global achievements highlight UFS’ Vision 130 goal of excellence

20 June 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Suplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) takes immense pride in the remarkable achievements of Dr Mutshidzi Mulondo, an academic in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Her international recognition and appointments not only exemplify her dedication to academic excellence and leadership but also reflect the UFS’ commitment to nurturing researchers who are globally competitive and internationally well connected, aligning perfectly with Vision 130.

Dr Mulondo was recently appointed to the International Council of Advisers as council member in the Golden Key International Honour Society. Golden Key, the world's largest collegiate honour society, selects the top 15% of high academic achievers in a college or university. In this role, Dr Mulondo will represent South Africa and oversee more than 20 (all) academic institutional chapters in South Africa. Her passion for academic excellence and leadership development is evident, as she strives to nurture these qualities among students, further ensuring that they remain socially engaged, in the spirit of ubuntu. “Education is one of the keys to eradicating poverty. While academic excellence can set graduates apart, we must continue to encourage and celebrate this excellence among our students and youth – not just this Youth Month but every other month. I am honoured to amplify an organisation such as Golden Key that shares these values,” says Dr Mulondo.

This commitment to academic and leadership excellence is a cornerstone of the UFS’ mission. The strategic objectives aim to enhance research capabilities and promote leadership, creating an environment where students and staff can thrive and make significant contributions to society.

Dr Mulondo’s recent accomplishments extend beyond her council and advisory role. She was awarded an impact-oriented grant for emerging researchers under the University Partnership Initiative, allowing her to strengthen her collaborative research partnership with the Appalachian State University (AppState). As a Public Health visiting scholar at AppState’s Beaver College of Health Sciences, she worked with academic host Dr Tandrea Carter, and collaborators Prof Martie Thompson and Prof Adam Hege. Her visit in the last term of 2023 culminated in a presentation of preliminary findings at the Global Symposium, USA. This public health partnership highlights the continuing collaboration initiated during her time as a Mandela Washington Fellow in 2022. This partnership underscores the UFS’ commitment to global engagement and fostering partnerships that enhance educational and research agenda.

Her global impact is further recognised, as she was selected globally as one of 10 Reimagining Healthcare Scholars by Novartis in 2023. Representing South Africa, she joined young global scholars at the One Young World Summit in the United Kingdom. The summit gathered delegates from 192 countries to address pressing global issues such as mental health, climate change, and food security. “As emerging scholars, it is essential to stay engaged locally and globally if we must remain innovative,” says Dr Mulondo, who is now a One Young World Ambassador. Her participation underscores the UFS’ dedication to nurturing staff members who address global challenges and aligns with the vision of fostering academic excellence and social responsibility.

“It is no surprise that Dr Mulondo has been appointed and selected for these various global roles and accolades, as she has continued to display the UFS Vision 130’s values of academic and leadership excellence on a global stage, further evidenced by her selection to the university’s Emerging Scholar Accelerator Programme (ESAP),” says Prof Joyce Tsoka-Gwegweni, Vice-Dean: Research and Head of Public Health. This advanced residential programme identifies the most promising academics who have obtained a doctoral degree within the last five years. Dr Mulondo’s dedication to academic excellence and leadership is commendable.

Reflecting on her journey as an emerging researcher in the newly established Division of Public Health, Dr Mulondo expressed gratitude for the supportive environment at the UFS. “I am grateful for the enabling environment that the UFS provides to emerging researchers and academics through programmes such as ESAP. I look forward to continued growth and I continue to be fuelled by my favourite passages of Scripture. ‘Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith and in purity.’ For the people who know their God will truly be strong and will carry out great exploits.” (1 Timothy 4:12; Daniel 11:32).

News Archive

New student leaders for UFS

2013-08-29

Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs (centre), with newly elected president of the Bloemfontein Campus SRC, Phiwe Mathe (left) and Matlogelwa Moema, president of the Qwaqwa Campus SRC.
Photo: Sonia Small
29 August 2013

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2013/14 Student Representative Councils: YouTube video

Phiwe Mathe and Matlogelwa Moema, both third year students, have been elected as presidents of the 2013/14 Student Representative Councils (SRC) of the University of the Free State’s Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses respectively. They now also serve as the presidency of the Central SRC and will take up their seats as voting members of the UFS council in September 2013. Thirty-eight candidates contested the 19 elective seats of the campus SRCs, for which 83 nominations were received.

Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, announced the completion of the elections at the two campuses as successful.Buys deemed the elections highly significant, considering it is the third year of peaceful elections since students adopted changes in student governance in 2011. These changes included, among others, the introduction of independent candidacy for elective portfolios and organisational candidacy in SRC sub-councils that hold ex-officio seats on the campus SRC. Changes also included the establishment of student representative seats in faculty forums and the adoption of reviewed SRC constitutions, Buys said.

The SRC elections at the Qwaqwa Campus were completed on 23 August 2013, while the elections at the Bloemfontein Campus took place on 26 and 27 August 2013. Elections at the Qwaqwa Campus showed a voter turnout of 44% and at the Bloemfontein Campus a turnout of 31.5%, which is among the highest in the country.

Both campuses reached the required quorums and the campus elections bodies, the IEA (Bloemfontein Campus) and IEC (Qwaqwa Campus), declared the elections free and fair and announced the results as a true reflection of the will of the student bodies at the campuses.

This year also saw the piloting of a central SRC elections oversight committee (CEC) to strengthen independent oversight of all elections. The CEC monitors the elections as free, fair and democratic and consists of senior academics and former student leaders of the Student Elders Council. Prof Loot Pretorius, inaugural chair of the CEC, announced the CECs confirmation of the SRC elections across campuses as free, fair and democratic.

Celebrations marked a mass meeting on the Bloemfontein Campus where the new student leaders were announced on Thursday 29 August 2013. There were cheers and singing as Quintin Koetaan, Head of the Bloemfontein IEA, on behalf of the two elections bodies, read the names of the newly-elected student leaders of both campuses. Delivering his victory speech, Phiwe thanked competitors for running a good debate, saying it was not about characters or personalities, but rather the ideas that would best serve a Kovsie. “Students will remain central and the ‘R’ is back in SRC,” he told the resounding crowd. Matlogelwa reiterated this message and said, "the SRC is for students and will serve all students equally."

Following on the heels of the SRC elections, voting for residence committees will take place next week with 618 candidates contesting 231 available positions. The elections of association executive committees will also take place in September.

The new SRC members of the Bloemfontein Campus are:

President: Phiwe Mathe
Vice-President: Tshepo Moloi
Secretary: Masiteng Paul Matlanyane
Treasurer: Willem du Plooy
Arts andCulture:Hlonipa Matshamba
Accessibility and Student Support:Anastasia Sehlabo
First Generation Students: Nthabiseng Malete
Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Mosa Leteane
Media, Marketing and Liaison: Callie Hendricks
Sport: Laurika Hugo
Student Development and Environmental Affairs: Bataung Qhotsokoane
Transformation: Christopher Rawson
Assosiations Council and Ex officio:Ntakuseni Razwiedani
Academics Affairs Council and Ex officio: TBC
Residence Council and Ex officio: Andricia Hinckermann
Commuter Council and Ex officio:Clarise Haasbroek
Postgraduate Council and Ex officio: Oluwatoba Fadeyi
International Council and Ex officio: Brian Hlongwane
Student Media Council and Ex officio: Keabetswe Magano
RAG Fundraising Council and Ex officio: Jaco Faul
Rag Service Council and Ex officio: Suzanne Maree

The new SRC members of the Qwaqwa Campu are:

President: MP Moema
Deputy-President: NT Mndebele
Secretary General: JC Mosiea
Treasurer General: NT Zuma
Politics and Transformation: IT Dube
Media and Publicity: ZF Madlala
Student Development and Environmental Affairs:SS Mtetwa
Off-Campus Students: TSJ Sithole
Arts and Culture: S Mabele
Academic Affairs: NE Litabo
Sport Affairs: TSG Mohlakoana
Religious Affairs:TW Mofokeng
Residence and Catering Affairs: A Ndabankulu
RAG Community Service and Dialogue: S Yende

Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication

Telephone: +27(0)51 401 2584
Cellphone: +27 (0) 83 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za

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