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UFS shines at international student success conference

07 March 2024 Photo Lunga Luthuli

Simphiwe Kunene and Prof Francois Strydom — Prof Francois Strydom, Senior Director at the Centre for Teaching and Learning and Simphiwe Kunene, the first African DREAM scholar and a master’s student from the Faculty of Education.

The University of the Free State (UFS) received recognition for its commitment to student success at the 2024 Achieving the Dream (ATD) conference which celebrated its 20-year anniversary. Simphiwe Kunene, an Education master's student originally from the Qwaqwa campus, was selected to represent South Africa as the first DREAM scholar from Africa as part of the conference.

The Achieving the Dream network of over 300 institutions, which is one of the largest movements in US higher education aims to transform colleges and universities so that students of colour and a lower socio-economic status are supported to earn a degree. The UFS is a leading partner in the Siyaphumelela Network, which has been working for 10 years with ATD to enhance the success of students in South Africa. Prof Francois Strydom, Senior Director at the Centre of Teaching and Learning (CTL), accepted the award on behalf of the institution.

Prof Strydom said that collaboration with the ATD and Siyaphumelela institutions has helped the UFS to develop cutting-edge approaches to “level the playing field” and support Kovsies to earn their undergraduate degrees.

The first African DREAM scholar

Kunene was selected as the first African DREAM scholar from the Siyaphumelela network. To select the DREAM scholar, each Siyaphumelela partner institution nominated one student as a preferred candidate. From the proposed candidates, the DREAM scholar was selected by the South African Institute for Distance Education (Saide) based on the following: demonstrating resilience, academic excellence, and a deep commitment to making a positive difference in universities and personal communities.

He addressed the conference of over 2 000 delegates and shared with them his hopes and dreams. Many members of the South African delegation said Simphiwe did his country proud. He had the following to say about his opportunity to be a DREAM scholar: “Being a DREAM scholar was life changing for me, exposing me to an array of opportunities I never knew were possible and available for me. It was as if, for a moment, the world had stopped to just listen to what I had to say."

The way forward

The UFS will continue its work as a partner of the Siyaphumelela network for the 2024-2026 cycle. The multi-stakeholder project team is focused on enhancing undergraduate students’ time, and to position the UFS as a thought and research leader in the area of student success as part of Vision 130.

News Archive

Kesa and Wayde biggest stars at KovsieSport Awards

2017-10-03

Description: 'Awards KovsieSport 2017 Tags: Awards KovsieSport 2017

Wayde van Niekerk was unable to attend the KovsieSport Awards.
Steven Swarts, his stepfather, received the award for KovsieSport
Senior Sportsman of the Year from Prof Francis Petersen (left),
Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State,
on his behalf.
Photo: Mlungisi Louw/Volksblad

It took Kesa Molotsane seven years of hard work and patience to excel, and all this time she has been a Kovsie. Unlike some other sporting greats, success didn’t come overnight for her.

The star athlete had an amazing year and was crowned KovsieSport Senior Sportswoman of the Year, while Wayde van Niekerk is the KovsieSport Senior Sportsman of the Year for a fifth consecutive time. The 400 m Olympic Champion surpassed the record held by himself and Franz Kruger for most successive sports awards for men (four), and equalled Kruger’s record (five) for the most men’s titles overall.

Blose and Chawane top juniors

The cream of the crop was honoured at the KovsieSport Awards, held in collaboration with the Volksblad Free State Sport Stars Awards, at Monte Bello in Bloemfontein on 27 September 2017.

Kwenzo Blose, who represented the South African U20 rugby team at the Junior World Cup, was named Junior Sportsman for a second consecutive year. The netball player Khanyisa Chawane is the KovsieSport Junior Sportswoman of the Year. She captained the South African U21 netball team at the World Youth Netball Champs.

The blind athlete Louzanne Coetzee and her guide Khothatso Mokone received a Special Award for Disabled Sport. Coetzee took part in the Paralympic Games and has set many records, such as in the 5 000 m (T11).

Hard work over many years

Molotsane competed at the World Cross-country Championships in Kampala, is the leader of the Spar Women’s Grand Prix 10 km series, and represented South Africa at the World Student Games. The Assistant Officer at KovsieSport says being the best female athlete is humbling.

“It took me long enough to get here and it needed a lot of work from my side over many years. I have been with Kovsies for, like, seven years and I am only getting this after so long.”
She also commended Karla and Tanya Mostert who was nominated with her. “Karla has been a motivation for little kids from primary school up until high school learners. She has always been there and knows what it means to really be a sport star.

“And her younger sister Tanya is the upcoming one. It is amazing to be on stage with both of them.”

KovsieSport Awards:
• Participants in World Student Games in Tapei: Arné Nel (tennis), Hendrik Maartens (athletics), Janke van der Vyver (badminton), Kesa Molotsane (athletics), Lienke de Kock (tennis), Maryke Brits (athletics), Rynardt van Rensburg (athletics), Tsepang Sello (athletics).
• Special Award for Disabled Sport: Louzanne Coetzee and Khothatso Mokone
• Special Awards: Maryka Holtzhausen (netball), Janine de Kock, Marnus Kleinhans (tennis), Ans Botha, Rufus Botha (both athletics), Nicole Walraven (hockey) and Godfrey Tenoff (soccer)
• Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Khanyisa Chawane (netball)
• Junior Sportsman of the Year: Kwenzo Blose (rugby)
• Senior Sportswoman of the Year: Kesa Molotsane (athletics)
• Senior Sportsman of the Year: Wayde van Niekerk (athletics)

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