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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

New SRC Sport talks about campus pride
2014-10-21

Media Studies and Journalism student, Dominique de Gouveia, can attest to the fact that you need to take all the small steps before you make the giant leap.

As Residence Committee member for Sport since her first year, Dominique found the transition to the Student Representative Council (SRC) merely a case of now putting on the striped blazer. Having worked closely with Lourika Hugo, previous SRC Sport, there was not really much that she had to take grasp of.

“Our varsity has almost the same sport fixtures every year, so once you understand it, it should not be that difficult to follow through,” says Dominique confidently.

“You need to set goals in order to achieve them. I quickly realised that this is what I want to do. Sport is very big on our campus among the students and in my term I want other channels to realise the importance of sport.”

“The motto of previous SRC Sport, Tshepo Moli, was ‘transformation in sport’, which can indeed make a social impact on our varsity.”

“Through sport, our varsity can take pride in showing diversity.”

The variety of sports Dominique enjoys playing and watching, shows just how much she really loves what she is doing.

“My favourite sports have to be soccer and squash. But after watching the Varsity Netball this season, it made me wish that I had learnt how to play netball as far back as high school.”

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