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House Imperium reigns supreme at 2025 Spirit Cup

28 February 2025 | Story Onthatile Tikoe | Photo Ben Zwane

In an electrifying display of varsity spirit, House Imperium emerged victorious in not one, but two prestigious categories at the 2025 FTEN Athletics Spirit Cup for first-time entering students (FTENs). House Imperium took home top honours for both Best Day Residence and Best Co-Ed Residence for War Cries, solidifying their reputation as a force to be reckoned with!

The Spirit Cup, an annual tradition that brings together students from various residences, is a celebration of camaraderie, creativity, and sheer enthusiasm. This year’s competition was fierce, with each house bringing their A-game to the table. However, Imperium’s unwavering dedication and unrelenting passion ultimately paid off.

“It felt fulfilling due to hard work and dedication from our members becoming fruitful in the end,” said an elated Dr Nokuthula Tlalajoe-Mokhatla, Imperium Residence Head. “⁠The most memorable moment other than receiving the two trophies was watching the Griffins’ (House Imperium team members) winning spirit grow and ultimately seeing how united they were during the course of the event.”

House Imperium’s victory in the Best Day Residence category is a testament to the house’s exceptional teamwork and coordination. Their energetic performances, coupled with their impressive display of house pride, left judges and spectators alike in awe.

The Best Co-Ed Residence for War Cries award was a particularly sweet victory for Imperium, as it acknowledges the house’s ability to come together and produce a truly unforgettable experience, even amid adversity. “The biggest challenge we faced during the Spirit Cup was maintaining consistent participation from our members,” Dr Tlalajoe-Mokhatla added. “As a co-ed residence that prioritises the safety of our community, it became difficult to keep everyone involved as the night progressed. Unfortunately, the number of participants dwindled, preventing us from fully displaying our unity. However, given our commitment to ensuring the safety of our students, we understood the need for this and respected the decisions made."

As Imperium basks in the glory of their Spirit Cup triumph, the house remains committed to upholding the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, and school spirit that have defined their journey. “The definition of Imperium is ‘absolute power’, and with its motto ‘Dum spiro spero’ being a Latin phrase that means ‘While I breathe, I hope’, that has and does and will continue to fuel our spirit in everything that we do.”

With their impressive Spirit Cup wins, House Imperium has undoubtedly cemented its status as a powerhouse in the world of day residences. As house members celebrate their achievements, they inspire their peers to strive for excellence and embody the spirit of friendly competition that defines the Spirit Cup!

News Archive

UFS hosts Nobel Laureate

2010-01-15

The University of the Free State (UFS) will host the 1991 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Prof. Richard Ernst from Switzerland, on its Main Campus in Bloemfontein from 22-26 January 2010.

Prof. Ernst’s visit to the UFS is part of an extended tour of South African higher education institutions and the National Research Foundation. His visit will coincide with the fourth presentation of the Cheese fondue that had previously been presented with great success in Europe.

The Cheese fondue concept is the brainchild of Prof. Hartmut Frank of the University of Bayreuth in Germany, who is currently a visiting fellow at the UFS Department of Chemistry.

This concept posits that technical advances alone are insufficient for an agreement to be reached on the minimum respect between the various groups and individuals within a society. It proposes that for this to be achieved there has to be a concurrent development of empathy and emotional synergy. In other words, there has to be spiritual acceptance and tolerance of the different cultural or religious ways of coming to terms with the deep-seated need for a spiritual home.

To this effect the UFS will host a Braai Workshop on Saturday, 23 January 2010 to promote this understanding, hence this year’s theme Justice, a matter of respect, ethics and empathy. The invitation to the workshop is open to the public and those who are interested should confirm their attendance with Ms Stefanie Naborn on 051 401 2531 before Monday, 18 January.

Prof. Ernst will present a paper on Justice – the Culture of Responsibility; Prof. Patrizio Bianchi, the Rector of the University of Ferrara in Italy, will focus on the topic After the Global Crisis: Justice and Wellbeing – the Goals of Economy; while Judge of Appeal, Fritz Brand will talk about Justice – the South African reality.

Prof. Ernst, Prof. Bianchi and Judge Brand will also take part in a panel discussion, together with the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS Prof. Jonathan Jansen and Prof. Johan Henning, Dean of the UFS Faculty of Law.

Subsequent to that, Prof. Bianchi will present a lecture on the topic Globalisation, Agriculture and Industrial Development in the CR Swart Auditorium on the Main Campus on Monday, 25 January 2010 from 10h00 - 12h00. Prof. Ernst's lecture is from 12h30 - 14h30.

For more information, contact Ms Stefanie Naborn on 051 401 2531 or at nabornsa@ufs.ac.za or Prof. Aldo Stroebel on 051 401 3506/3403 or at stroebea@ufs.ac.za .

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za
15 January 2010

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