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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.
First woman appointed to represent the religious community on UFS Council
2015-12-08
Dr Nthabeleng Rammile |
The Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) approved the appointment of Dr Nthabeleng Rammile as representative of the religious community during its meeting on Friday 4 December 2015. She is the first woman to be appointed in this portfolio on Council.
“We are really privileged to have on Council a person of high integrity who not only has a sound knowledge of the academic world, but also brings real skills in marketing and brand management to university governance. In addition, Dr Rammile has a heart for students, including both their academic and spiritual needs,” says Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS.
Dr Rammile, an alumnus of the UFS, was a lecturer in the university’s Department of Business Management from 2003. She ended her lecturing tenure when she decided to join the ministry full-time in December 2014. She was ordained in 2003 as a Pastor of the Global Reconciliation Church. While at the UFS, she completed her Master's in Services Marketing and a PhD in Brand Management.
She played a pivotal mentoring role and gave her students first-hand work experience by working closely with the private sector, as she wanted to ensure that her students leave the UFS with a real understanding of the working world.
At the Global Reconciliation Church, she is responsible for women’s ministry, community outreach projects, as well as multimedia services. She is passionate about inspiring and empowering women to become successful in all spheres of their lives, namely career, business, motherhood, academia and socially. Dr Rammile is an advocate for a healthy lifestyle, and she also conducts workshops that teach women in her ministry how to live healthy and well-balanced lifestyles.