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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.
“I’ve come to take you home” – Diana Ferrus to launch her new book about Sarah Baartman
2014-03-13
Poet, performer, writer and story-teller, Diana Ferrus, will launch her book entitled “I’ve Come to Take You Home”, on 14 March 2014 at the Bloemfontein Campus. The story pays tribute to Sarah Baartman. The launch coincides with the celebration of South African Library Week at Kovsies.
Diana’s poetry and writing focuses on Africa, women, healing and liberation. Her work has been published in various collections and some serve as prescribed textbooks for high school learners.
Internationally recognised as a poet and cultural activist, Ferrus was part of a delegation that travelled to France to collect the remains of Sarah Baartman for a dignified burial in South Africa.
She writes in both English and Afrikaans and is a founder member of “Bush Poets”, an all-female group, the Afrikaans Writers Association, as well as women’s writers association, Women in X-chains.
Diana will be available to answer questions from the audience.
Event details
Date: Friday 14 March 2014
Time: 16:00
Venue: Mabaleng Auditorium, Bloemfontein Campus
Contact: Marcus Maphile Maphilelm@ufs.ac.za for more information or enquiries.