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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

Pledge your commitment to equality and the eradication of racism
2015-04-12

 

Over the past two months, Kovsie students and staff have united against racism, and embraced equality in the No-to-Racism/Yes-to-Equality Campaign. This initiative was launched in celebration of Human Rights Month on all three UFS campuses by the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice, together with the SRC.

To put this vision into action, the Kovsie community can now pledge their commitment to equality and the eradication of racism at the UFS. Visit the UFS facebook page, and pledge your support electronically by liking the pledge poster.

Each of the campuses will also have the opportunity to come together and pledge their support publically on the following days:

Bloemfontein Campus: Monday 13 April 2015; Red Square; 12:45
Qwaqwa Campus: Wednesday 15 April 2015
South Campus: Friday 17 April 2015

At the Bloemfontein Campus pledge, staff and students can place their thumbprint on a canvas to endorse the campaign physically. Some t-shirts and hotdogs will also be available at the event.

The No-to-Racism/Yes-to-Equality Campaign is aligned with the declaration made by the UFS Council in November 2014, in which it was stated that “the Council of the University of the Free State believes very strongly in the human dignity, equality, and freedom of all people. Accordingly, the Council reaffirms its abhorrence of acts of racism, sexism, and unfair discrimination of any kind or in any form”.

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