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07 March 2024
Photo Lunga Luthuli
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.
Kovsie Debate team compete against high school learners in debate on volunteerism
2013-02-13
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Learners from Headstart High School with Kovsie students.
Photo: Linda Fekisi |
Grade 12 learners from Headstart High School took on a team from the university in a debate on the Bloemfontein Campus. The school, in partnership with the University through the Schools Partnership Programme, will be visiting various divisions within the institution in the next four years.
The topic of the debate, Volunteerism and Social Citizenship, was brought forward by the Volunteers Office which is part of Kovsie student life. “The aim was to share our knowledge on volunteerism with the learners and at the same time encourage them to do their own research on the topic. We are making use of experimental learning to make them used to the whole notion of volunteerism”, said the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Pura Mgolombane.
The learners, who receive English lessons by Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector, engaged in the conversation with ease as they expressed their own views on the subject matter. Their debate was moderated by the Chairperson of the Debate Society, Zola Valashiya.