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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.
Biggest Bloemfontein art project comes to life
2016-07-11
Three sculptures in different places
in Bloemfontein will form part of
It’s My City, a large-scale public art
project from 8 to 16 July 2016
alongside the Vrystaat Arts Festival.
Photo: Xany Jansen van Vuuren
One of the biggest art projects Bloemfontein has ever seen. That is how Angela de Jesus, curator of the Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery at the University of the Free State (UFS), describes It’s My City. And the large-scale public art project involves the community of Bloemfontein/Mangaung’s participation.
The artwork, conceived by British artist, Alex Rinsler, will be on display from 8 to 16 July 2016, alongside the Vrystaat Arts Festival. Three sculptures, a Baby Giraffe, Mother Tree and Toy Windmill, each about 7.5 metres, will appear in Hoffman Square, Mapikela Square in Batho location, and on the Red Square of the UFS Bloemfontein Campus respectively.
Many from around the city included
Local lead artists – Marius Jansen van Vuuren (Baby Giraffe), Tshiamo Art and Crafts Development (Mother Tree), and Minè Kleynhans (Toy Windmill) – expressed their relationship to the city. According to De Jesus, the project includes “six artists; more than 20 job opportunities were created; and there were skills transfer for many more. Over 50 volunteers, 100 professionals, and hopefully thousands will take part.” It’s My City is the signature 2016 project of the Programme for Innovation in Artform Development, a partnership between the UFS and the festival, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the municipality of Mangaung.
People can connect in positive way
“What most excites me is that this work will create imagery that loads of people can connect with in a positive way, and write a new story,” says Rinsler. According to the public artist and cultural producer, people are invited to visit the sculptures, write down their wishes for the city and those they love, and add them to complete the artworks.
Sculptures meet each other at ceremony
On 16 July 2016, the sculptures will be led by three processions, convening at the Macufe village (corner of Elizabeth and Markgraaff streets). At 17:30, a short ceremony, free to attend, will follow where they will be dismantled in spectacular fashion, with graceful fire and pyrotechnics, and so bringing together many people’s wishes as one.
Photo Gallery
For more information visit the It's My City website
Click here for a press release about the project