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21 October 2024 | Story Litha Banjatwa | Photo Supplied
Matriculant of the year 2024
This year’s winner, Jayden Leech (centre), deputy head boy and hockey captain at Grey College.

For more than four decades, the University of the Free State (UFS) has used its annual Matriculant of the Year competition to attract the country’s top matriculants. This prestigious award recognises and celebrates the exceptional achievements of South African high school students who excel in academics, sports, culture, and leadership.

This year’s winner, Jayden Leech, deputy head boy and hockey captain at Grey College, stands out not only for his academic average of 90% but also for his sporting achievements. He has represented South Africa in karate and has been a member of the Free State Hockey and Waterpolo teams for the past three years. Jayden has been selected to pursue a medical degree.

The competition is closely aligned with the UFS’s Vision 130, which envisions a future where academic excellence, innovation, and societal impact are prioritised. “By recognising academic success, creativity, resilience, and leadership potential, the university aims to attract the brightest minds to join its community. This competition serves as a platform to identify and nurture future leaders who will help address South Africa's pressing challenges,” says Nomonde Mbadi, Director of Student Recruitment Services.

This year, the competition attracted 60 applicants, with a strong representation of women - 43 women and 17 men. The Free State province led with 28 entries, followed by North West, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng. Popular fields of study among applicants included Medicine (MBChB), Accounting, Engineering, and Law. While the overall academic average of all entries was an impressive 81%, the top 14 finalists achieved an outstanding average of 85%.

Through a series of interviews and group activities, candidates were assessed on their critical thinking, communication skills, and ability to collaborate effectively. The Matriculant of the Year is ultimately selected for their overall balance, leadership potential, and capacity to serve as an ambassador for the UFS.

The Matriculant of the Year competition reflects the UFS’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning environment, aligned with the university’s values of social justice and sustainability. “By aligning this competition with Vision 130, we reaffirm the UFS’s dedication to transforming lives, creating opportunities, and shaping the next generation of leaders who will drive societal and economic progress,’’ adds Mbadi. 

News Archive

UFS student awarded medal: Soil and Crop Science Societies
2006-02-10

Ms Kimberly Jennings (23), B Sc (Hons) student in the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS), was recently awarded the medal for the best oral paper by an author under 30 years old at the combined conference of the Soil and Crop Science Societies held at the University of Kwan-Zulu-Natal Howard College campus.

The conference was attended by 290 national and international delegates who contributed 150 papers on a wide range of subjects. Ms Jennings' paper discussed the redox behaviour of a Kroonstad soil form in the Weatherley catchment. The research was partly funded by the Water Research Commission.

From the left: Ms Kimberly Jennings, Mr Garry Patterson (President of the Soil and Science Society of South Africa) and Dr Cornie van Huyssteen (snr lecturer at the UFS Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences and acting chair of the awards committee).
Photo (supplied)

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