FB: NWU Vaal Student 24/7

Web: www.nwu.ac.za

eFundi: Student 24/7

studentenews@gmail.comFarewell Prof

Thanyani Mariba!

Vol 5 No 5 June 2015

Calling all future Post Grads!

Bean Counting

Day!

Mandela Day is here!

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RECTOR’s OFFICE

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Dear StudentThe term of office of Prof Thanyani Mariba, rector of the North-West University’s (NWU) Vaal Triangle Campus, will end on 30 June 2015.

Consequently, the NWU Council decided at its meeting on 19 June that the process to appoint a new campus rector for the Vaal Triangle Campus must immediately be set in motion.

In terms of the statute, the vice-chancellor, Prof Dan Kgwadi, as chief accounting and administra-tive officer will see to the management of the cam-pus until the process has been finalised.

In light of the fact that the committee investigat-ing the possible establishment of a medical school

for the NWU was headed by Prof Mariba and has not yet concluded its work, Prof Mariba will be ap-pointed on a temporary fixed-term contract for six months as Director: Special Projects to conclude the investigation to determine the feasibility of the establishment of a medical school.

Prof Mariba was appointed as campus rector in November 2009. He has played a major role in steering the Vaal Triangle Campus to a better de-velopment trajectory and has done wonderful work to promote excellence at the campus.

Adv Johan Kruger, chairperson of the NWU Coun-cil, and Prof Dan Kgwadi have expressed their ap-preciation for Prof Mariba’s role in positioning the NWU as one of the leading universities in South Africa.

RECTOR’S OFFICE

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The staff fraternity of the North-West University’s Vaal Triangle Campus (NWU Vaal) recently cele-brated the 65th birthday of Prof Thanyani Mariba, the campus rector, during the annual mid-year so-cial get-together.

Lewis Carroll was once said: “There are 364 days when you might get unbirthday presents… and only one for birthday presents, so enjoy your birth-day with enthusiasm and jovial cheer”, and the staff fraternity certainly put his words to practice.

The event – hosted at the Quest Conference Es-tate in Vanderbijlpark, saw the Rector giving an overview of the Campus’s performance during the first six months of the new academic year. After his presentation to the staff fraternity, the Campus mascot – Vuvu, joined in the fun by presenting Prof Mariba with a party hat, a surprise video clip - de-picting highlights from the Rector’s term, and a special birthday cake – complete with sparkles and birthday candles!

29 June 2015, marks Prof Mariba’s birthdate and all members of the Campus community wish him well and all the best for the future.

Campus community celebrates rector’s 65th birthday!

CAMPUS NEWS

Students gearing-up to voice their choiceThe Vaal Campus (NWU Vaal) is buzzing with excitement because of the upcoming Student Representa-tive Council (SRC) and House Com-mittee (HC) elections.

This year the elections will see stu-dents going to the polls on 19-20 Au-gust to cast their votes.

About the election processThe process of selecting the stand-ing candidates begins with a student collecting a nomination form from the Directorate Student Affairs (Building 25, G20). A minimum of 25 support-ing signatures (from bona fide regis-tered students) and the portfolio of choice of the candidate in question must accompany the documentation. During the screening process all sub-mitted documentation are scrutinized and the academic records and dis-ciplinary history of each nominee is called-up.

Depending on how you look at it, the nominees then have to battle it out by means of their election manifestos. This is a process whereby the se-lected candidates plead their case to their fellow students, in hope of being voted for. The process for selecting

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candidates for the different House Committees is even more stringent, only the top students are chosen to stand for the HC positions. The ‘top students’ refer to students who em-body both academic commitment and dynamic personality traits. An-other important factor which is taken into consideration is the current year of study of each nominee, since it also opens the door for deserving first year students to take up leader-ship positions.

According to the Director of Stu-dent Engagement and Leadership (SEAL), Mr Jacob Simango, a leader is someone who can represent the masses well, is able to understand each individual’s needs and stay true to his/her moral beliefs. Strong lead-ership qualities and good problem solving skills are also essential.

Once the voting, counting and an-nouncing of the new leaders are done, the new leadership unit is trained and equipped with the neces-sary skills to help them do their work effectively.

SEAL – a lifeline to all studentsThe Directorate Student Engage-

ment and Leadership remains a life-line to all student leaders and take responsibility to monitor the progress made. The latter takes place twice a year. In the case of a leader resign-ing, another capable leader takes over whilst a new leader is chosen from the existing candidates list to fill the vacant position.

Free and fair election processThe Campus conducts the election process with the assistance and guidance of the local Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

Interested in being in the SRC?If you would like to nominate yourself for the SRC 2015/2016, you can col-lect a form from Building 25 G20.

For more information contact:Bethuel MokoenaChief Electoral Officer073 404 7698

Desiree MotseleSEAL (Elections Administrator)083 335 1911

Lungile MasangoSEAL (Elections Logistics Manager)073 996 5775

* Nominations are subject to the House Rules of the SRC Elections.** Nominations close on 14 August 2015.

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CAMPUS NEWS

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CAMPUS NEWS

Maggie Matsaneng – or Mamma Maggie as she is af-fectionately called by the students of the NWU Vaal, is a woman with a heart for people in need – especially young adults. With International Mandela Day just around the corner, Maggie is once again spearheading the Charity Begins At Home initiative on the Campus. The aim of the initiative is to expand the Campus’s food and clothing bank in order to assist needy students. This year also sees the Yebo Angels collaborating on the project. The Yebo Angels are representatives of the Young Entrepre-neur Business Organisation – a dynamic student body on Campus.

The first thing that comes to mind when you meet Maggie is her professional demeanour. As a member of the Di-rectorate Student Counselling and Development (SCD), she plays an important role in the wellbeing of students. As the Campus’s first full-time appointed Social Worker, Maggie busies herself with bettering the standard of liv-ing of students. This means providing support services directly to individuals facing a number of psycho-social challenges and working towards change to improve the social conditions of students.

With a career in social work spanning more than 3 de-cades, an Honours degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology training to boot, Maggie deals in the currency of hope and love. “I started my career off in Hammanskraal and looking back I earnestly thought that I would never again encounter the effects of poverty as I did then,” relates Maggie and says that poverty is currently a dire reality for all South Africans. “All types of people live in poverty. Life changes such as unemployment, illness or family separation can hap-pen to us all whilst shifts in the cost of living, especially higher prices in essentials such as food, also affect most people. Poverty is no longer something that happens to others”.

The sad realityWhen Maggie relates the heart-breaking realities many students face on a daily basis, it is almost incomprehen-sible to fathom. She tells the story of *Steven - a second

Charity begins at home - a Mandela Day project with heart

year student from Deneysville in the Free State: Steven heads-up his household and he is responsible for his 16 year old sister after the death of their grandmother (who acted as their custodian) a year ago. They live in a shack dwelling and have to make do with paraffin and candles, not to mention walking long distances to fetch clean drinking water. For Steven to be on time for class he has to leave his home while it is still dark – a daunting task, especially in the middle of winter. He goes through the day without eating and drinks water to ease the hun-ger pains. In the evenings he and his sister study by the feint light of a candle. Despite all these apparent set-backs Steven excels in his academic work.

“Stories like the one of Steven says a lot about the hu-man spirit and the will to better oneself in an effort to break the cycle of poverty,” says Maggie and adds that she is confronted - on a daily basis, by students with stories similar to that of Steven.

In a concerted effort to address problems such as those experienced by Steven, Maggie has launched the Char-ity Begins At Home project and has identified Mandela Day as the highpoint for the project. Since Mandela Day – 18 July, falls within the winter recess the Campus will identify another date for the official handover of the do-nations as to accommodate all members of the Campus community. The project – consisting of several different activations across the entire Campus community, will see the continued development of a sustainable food and clothing bank for the purposes of assisting students in need.

Charity Begins At Home ProjectThe project –which is currently in its second year, sees different departments within the Campus, taking respon-sibility for gathering 67 items based on a list of pre-iden-tified need. For example: The Directorate Marketing and Communication is responsible for 67 cans of fish whilst the School of Languages will contribute 67 bars of soap.

Departments that have not yet signed-up for the project are urged to do so. A list with all the items that are need-ed is available from the Directorate Student Counselling and Development.

Collections are awaited in the period from 20 to 30 July and can be dropped at the SCD Offices in Building 13, SL 331.You can also send Maggie an e-mail at maggie.matsaneng@nwu.ac.za

* Steven is a pseudenom to protect the real identity of the student

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“If you think you can, or you think you can’t, either way you are right.” These legendary words of Henry Ford are still applicable to today’s young entrepreneurs. Heeding the call of entrepreneurship, the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University (NWU Vaal) is hosting a popular Student Business Competi-tion to hone the skills of up-and-coming job creators.

Entrepreneurship speaks to a dynamic and creative confidence in terms of envisioned success. Add to this an out-of-the-box worldview which challenges and questions the traditional, and you have come to realise that entrepreneurs play an immiscible role in shaping the future.

The annual competition is coordi-nated by the bHive EDC (Enterprise Development Centre) and gives students – from all faculties, the op-portunity to explore business ideas and concepts.

This year the competition runs over a period of two semesters to allow participants sufficient time to work on their business pitch whilst ben-efitting from several interactive and informative workshops. These workshops are aimed at strengthen-ing both the academic and practical understanding of entrepreneurship. The competition will be decided over several rounds during which the participants have the opportunity to view their scorecards in order for them to monitor their own perfor-mance. The final round will see the top five entrepreneurs competing for a place on the winners’ podium.

During a pitching session in May – during which 17 entrepreneurs presented their business concepts, the participants were ranked and the top ten commenced to the next round of the competition. Each participant had two minutes in which to conceptualise his/her busi-ness concept.

Top 10 – the heat is onEach of the ten remaining entrepre-neurs have now been assigned a mentor and will have to complete two workshops, namely: Exploring your business concept (13-17 July) and a Business Model Generation workshop (2-8 August). During this time each of the mentors will assist and help to prepare the finalists for the business pitching and presenta-tion round after which the top three entrepreneurs will be announced.

The thinking behind the competitionAccording to Mrs Clarise Mostert – lecturer within the School of Eco-nomic Sciences and coordinator of the competition, student spinoff companies are of great interest to all progressive universities, particularly those that support research and teaching programmes win the field of entrepreneurship – such as the North-West University.

“These entrepreneurial ventures provide tangible evidence that students acquire viable entrepre-

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CAMPUS NEWS

neurial skills while studying at the University,” says Clarise and adds that young entrepreneurs contribute to regional economic development, help to commercialise knowledge that otherwise would go undevel-oped and help the University attain and expand its core mission under-taking. In the case of the NWU Vaal, the importance of entrepreneurship is valued as part of the Campus’s mission statement and as such stu-dents are encouraged to embrace an entrepreneurial ethos.

Entrepreneurship represents the heartbeat of the bHive EDC and as such it provides young entrepre-neurs with the necessary skills and business support to harness their skills and build their own support network. By offering students the op-portunity to become future employ-ers and henceforth job creators the centre is motivating the next genera-tion of entrepreneurial giants to step into the fore.

* The assigned mentors are all knowledgeable experts in their re-spective fields of focus and will add value to the existing body of knowl-edge in terms of entrepreneurship. The mentors are: Johann Lands-berg, Clarise Mostert, Natanya Meyer, Jani Jooste and Dr Charles van der Vyfer.

For more information, feel free to send an e-mail to Mrs Clarise Mo-stert at clarise.mostert@nwu.ac.za

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CAMPUS NEWS

NWU Vaal champions environmental stewardship

The campus community of the Vaal Campus (NWU Vaal) is serious about environmental stewardship and making a positive impact towards helping Africa take headship on issues such as global warming, waste reduction and sustainable energy resources.

With this in mind a delegation of 30 individuals – rep-resentative of both staff and students, will be attending the Annual Green Campuses Conference 2015 hosted by the University of the Western Cape. The conference is organised by the South African Chapter of the Asso-ciation of College and University Housing Officers Inter-national (ACUHO-I-SAC). This year marks the first time that a delegation of the NWU Vaal will be attending this international conference that will take place from the 28 June to 2 July 2015.

Several members of the Department Student Engage-ment and Leadership (SEAL) will also be in attendance, since there has been an increasing interest and partici-pation by different institutions especially in the Student Housing Sector.

More about the conferenceThe 2015 conference marks the 4th rendition of the ACUHO-I-SAC Annual Green Campuses Conference and according to Mr Theophilus Doc Nhassengo, Head of Housing at Durban University of Technology (DUT) and the ACUHO-I-SAC President, this year’s confer-ence is set to be a memorable occasion. “It is our fer-vent hope that this conference is the start of great things which would make all of us to see things in the same way for the benefit of humanity. At ACUHO-I-SAC it is our belief that the repository of knowledge does not only reside with the administrators and the elders but also

with those whose futures are being designed – namely our student fraternities.”

The mantra students use – “nothing about us without us”, is according to Nhassengo mirrors the focus of the conference and therefore the conference offers a plat-form from which university staff and students can de-bate about pertinent environmental issues as a unified collective.

Topics that will feature during the conference includes:• Role of the youth in creating a green economy;• Green jobs: Towards decent work in the sustainable

low carbon society;• Reduction of CO2 and encouraging and enabling

more shared journeys through carpooling;• The role of higher education institutions in creating

greener campuses and encouraging green lifestyle choices; and

• Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Research, Development, and Innovation strategy.

Other highlights of the conference include visits to the Parliament, Robben Island and several community en-gagement outreach projects. Delegates will furthermore be treated to a Green Concert and Fashion Show upon their arrival and an Earth Festival will draw the confer-ence to an official close.

The expected outcome of the 4th Green Campus Con-ference is to inform the National Framework for “Recre-ating the greener future” in South Africa through various platforms including curriculum design and assessment practices, material development, career and develop-ment to effectively participate in the skills development opportunities within the Green Economy Sector.

Calling all aspiring accountants!Bean Counting Day 2015Did you know that according to the National Development Plan, ac-counting is not only viewed as a scarce skill within the public service delivery arena, but is also a vehicle to overcome poverty and inequal-ity? With this in mind the School of Accounting Sciences on the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University (NWU Vaal) will be hosting its third annual Bean Counting Day on 24 July 2015.

The aim of the Bean Counting Day initiative is to introduce accounting students to prospective employers and according to the organisers the event aims to inspire and motivate students to focus on their studies and by doing so enhancing their employ-ability in the market. The event will see accounting firms such as ACCA, KPMG, SAICA, BDO and PWC – amongst others, in attendance and will be hosted in the Learning and Research Commons. The official opening will commence at 08:00.

Why attend?Here are some reasons why it is im-portant for students within the field of accounting to make the most of op-portunities such as this one:

Use this opportunity to ask questions. Maybe there is a particular aspect of the industry you are confused about or you want to know more about. Events such as this are definitely a two-way street: the exhibitors get to meet you and you have the opportu-nity to see what is expected of you as a future employee.

By networking with established pro-fessionals you have the opportunity to get hints and tips on the respec-tive company’s application process and what they are looking for in can-didates. Introduce yourself, chat to the representatives and ask as many questions as you feel pertinent.

Bean Counting Day is a way of get-ting to know the different industry role-players and vice versa. If you are a final year student, why not take

your updated CV with you and find out more about internship or post-graduate opportunities.

ADVERT

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CAMPUS NEWS

Golden Key Chapter - spreading Madiba magic at SPCA

The Golden Key International Hon-our Association’s Vaal Triangle Cam-pus (NWU Vaal) Chapter will be honouring the legacy of Madiba on Mandela Day by busying themselves with community work at the Vander-bijlpark SPCA on 18 July 2015.

The former Statesman Nelson Ro-lihlahla Mandela was the Patron-in-Chief of the National Council of SP-CAs (NSPCA) from the early nineties up till his death in 2013. The late Statesman and Nobel Laureate will be remembered as a man dedicated to humankind, to our country and to all her inhabitants – friends and foe, animal and human; as he stood for equality throughout his life.

The NWU Vaal Golden Key Chapter will be cleaning kennels, feeding the animals and help with various tasks assigned to them by the local SPCA representatives. In an effort to make the biggest possible impact, the Chapter is asking all members of the campus community for assistance. The following donations will be wel-comed and appreciated:

Pet blanketsPlastic animal bedsPet foodToys for cats and dogsCopying paper (for administrative purposes)These items can be dropped off at Building 13, Office 322, with Ms

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Claire Young, from now until Friday, 17 July.

More about the NSPCAThe mandate of the NSPCA is to pre-vent cruelty to animals – all animals. People and animals are inextricably linked. Where there are people there are animals. In upholding the prin-ciples of kindness, compassion, un-derstanding and empathy the NSP-CA strives to continuously pay tribute to its beloved late Patron-in-Chief, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

More about the Golden Key Interna-tional Honour Society The Golden Key International Honour Society connects high-achieving individuals locally, regionally and globally with lifetime opportunity, reward and suc-cess. The society focuses on aca-demic excellence, leadership devel-opment and community service. It is furthermore a non-profit organization affiliated with over 400 universities throughout Australia, Canada, In-dia, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Bahamas and the United States. The society’s mission is to enable members to realize their potential by connecting individual achievement with service and life-long opportunity. Golden Key is the world’s largest honour society and is a mission-focused, values-based and demographics-driven organiza-tion. With 36 years of rich tradition, Golden Key remains committed to

scholarship, career development, leadership and community service. To date more than 70 000 South Af-rican students have joined the ranks of the society.

* The Vanderbijlpark SPCA is located at Plot 44-47, Boshoff Avenue, Mull-erstuine.

NWU student societies host Academic DayCAMPUS NEWS

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“So you think you are smart?” This is the question up for debate during the Faculty of Humanities’ first-ever Academic Day as organised by several student societ-ies within the faculty. The Academic Day will take place on Friday, 24 July.

Stop for a moment and ask yourself if there was ever a time (or times) you’ve arrogantly said or thought: “I’m too smart for this.” If you’re someone who always be-lieved that you’re Mr Smarty Pants, you may want to take a step back and contemplate. That kind of thinking can work against you in life and in work. With this in mind the BA Committee, Law Students Council, History Society and the Industrial Psychology Society aim to bring students – within the Faculty of Humanities, to-gether to network and learn from each other in a fun and entertaining manner.

Events include: a spelling bee, public speaking, a round-table debate, pop quizzes and a robust dialogue ses-sion featuring a member of the Campus Management structure. According to the organizing body the different societies have come together to demonstrate that the process of learning – and continuous learning at that, does not have to be a “boring experience”, but rather an exercise in creativity and innovation.

An invitation is hereby extended to all students and par-

ticipation forms can be collected in Building 11B (outside of Dr Ilyayambwa Mwanawina’s office). Please note that all participation forms should be completed and handed in by Tuesday, 21 July.

Activities will start at 10:00 at Building 6. For more infor-mation please contact Ntai on 074 043 9572 or Tsakani on 076 271 4615.

It’s time again for the annual NWU mock trials with the support of Juta. This year’s Juta Mock Trail Competition will kick off on 20 July and culminate in the finals on 21 August.

Various teams of four students each will take each oth-er on in a ‘criminal case’, pleading for the defence and State respectively. “It is the only competition of its kind in the country where second and third year law students compete against each other”, says Adv René Koraan, lecturer at the Faculty of Law on the Potchefstroom Campus. Thus far, 230 law students from Potchefst-room and about 60 on both the Mafikeng and Vaal Tri-angle campuses will participate in this year’s prestigious event.

The Juta Mock Trial Competition is the brainchild of René, who saw it as an opportunity for second and third-year students to gain much-needed experience: “The mock trials have a positive effect on students. It helps prepare them for their careers and informs them how the system works”.

René submits that “Every student should grab the op-portunity to participate in the Juta Mock Trials. It will give them an idea of what is waiting in the professional world. There is an old saying that one misses 100% of the chances you don’t take; this is a big opportunity for students”.

All campuses compete enthusiasticallyThis is the second year that all campuses will participate in the hugely popular competition that has a rich, four-year history. Last year’s winners were a second-year team from the Mafikeng Campus who triumphed over a team from the Vaal Triangle in the final event.

Acting judge, Adv Matthew Klein, who has appeared in virtually all legal fora in South Africa, including the Con-stitutional Court, Supreme Court of Appeal, High Court, commissions of inquiry as well as in the parliament, will preside over the semi-finals.

Judge Frits van Oosten of the Gauteng High Court will preside over the final event. He is an alumnus of the Potchefstroom Campus, has worked as a prosecutor and has trained magistrates and advocates.

For more information, contact Mr Simon Rasikhalela (Mafikeng Campus) at 018 389 2030, Adv René Koraan (Potchefstroom Campus) at 018 299 4287 or Dr Jacques Matthee (Vaal Triangle Campus) at 016 910 3438.

Law students to show their skills in ‘court’

CAMPUS NEWS

NWU Vaal to host inauguralLeadership SummitA leadership evolution. This is how organisers of the inaugural Vaal Tri-angle Campus (NWU Vaal) Leader-ship Summit is describing the first-of-its-kind leadership summit that will take place on 12 August 2015.

The NWU Vaal Leadership Summit – in collaboration with Ukuvula Invest-ment Holdings together with Studio 55 Productions and Events, repre-sents a dynamic platform that will bring together some of South Africa’s most brilliant business minds, strat-egists and thought leaders to share their insights into business, economic and management issues with indus-try front-runners and executives. By providing this platform – from which intellectual capacity can be shared, the summit is contributing to the ad-vancement of leadership in business, government and civil society.

According to Prof Herman van der Merwe, Executive Director of the Fac-ulty of Economic Sciences and Infor-mation Technology and voice of the summit, it is important for leaders to recognize the fact that mindful lead-ership has the potential to transform lives, business and industry, com-munities and ultimately the world. “South Africa has made big strides in the past 20 years and advances have occurred across multiple fronts: political, social, and economic. The challenge however remains to ad-dress complex issues such as pros-perity and well-being that threaten to undermine sustainable development. Addressing such challenges will re-quire strong leadership from all lev-els of society in the years to come” says Prof Van der Merwe.

NWU Vaal Leadership SummitThe Summit – that will take place at the Quest Conference Estate in Vanderbijlpark – will bring together leaders and aspiring leaders from all organisational levels and various backgrounds, including business, non-profit, education, health and wellness and government.14 - Student 24/7

By hosting this inaugural leadership summit, the NWU Vaal aims to cre-ate an accessible forum which pres-ents an invaluable opportunity for first-hand interaction with leaders who have their fingers on the pulse of macro-economic and management issues – and in today’s fluid business environment, knowledge sharing is more powerful and more critical than ever before.

The impressive line-up of speakers include the likes of:

• Adv Thuli Madonsela RSA Public Protector;

• Mr Paul O’ Flaherty CEO of ArcelorMittal South Africa;

• Mr Abe Thebyane Nedbank Group Executive for HR;

• Mr Stavros Nicolaou Aspen Pharmacare Strategic Trade Development Senior Executive;

• Ms Charmaine Lemao HR Director at Nissan South Africa; and

• Ms Suzanne Ackerman-Berman Pick ‘n Pay Director of Transforma-tion

The beneficiary of this Leadership Summit will be the Ukuvula Founda-tion - a charitable, not-for-profit turst, that was established to coordinate and fund social development initia-tives. Students of the Vaal Triangle Campus will also benifit from the

income generated from the event. The Ukuvula Foundation’s vision of “making a difference through shared learning, development and empow-ering people” is underscored by the fact that most of the assistance granted is in the form of bursaries to tertiary education. Over the last number of years, the Foundation has also been a major sponsor of winter sports tournaments for scholars from all provinces in South Africa. The vision of the summitThe vision of the Summit is twofold: Firstly to support the sustainable fu-ture, growth, and development of the Vaal Triangle and surrounding areas of the Gauteng province through an event that will explore best-practices, ideas, and lessons of visionary, re-sponsible, and forward-thinking lead-ership through the contributions of respected and esteemed South Afri-can captains of industry and govern-ment. Secondly the Summit is aimed at vesting the Vaal Triangle Campus as an innovative hub of business ex-pertise and entrepreneurial aptitude.

Who should attend?The Summit offers attendees from all sectors - including business, finance, retail, branding, marketing, media, construction, property, government and academia in Gauteng, an ex-traordinary opportunity to experience ground-breaking opinions, partake in critical debate, engage in meaningful dialogue and truly promote thought leadership in South Africa.

CostTickets are available at R2 000 per person. Tables (accommodating 10 delegates) can also be purchased at a discount price. For bookings and registration contact Charmaine Smith at Studio 55 on csmith@stu-dio55events.co.za or 041 365 759. Limited seating available!

NWU Vaal Postgraduate Open Day 2015 -

Investing in YOU!

CAMPUS NEWS

The benefits of having a postgraduate qualification are widely recognised – improved employment prospects, higher average lifetime earning po-tential, and a greater sense of per-sonal fulfilment. With this in mind, the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University (NWU Vaal) will be hosting its first-ever Postgraduate Open Day on 15 August 2015.

Investing in YOUR futureAccording to Prof Linda du Plessis, Vice-Rector of the Campus, post-graduate study can prove to be an exciting route to advancing within the sphere of an existing career as well as opening up new employment op-portunities. “At the North-West Uni-versity we believe that employability is about so much more than just a qualification, it is about having the skills and attributes that employers want and that will allow you to make the most of your potential” says Prof Du Plessis.

On the 15th of August all three cam-puses of the North-West University will be hosting postgraduate open days and during these not-to-be-missed events, potential postgradu-ate students can familiarise them-selves of the University’s framework for training, study support, and ca-reer preparation. “Whether you are new to the North-West University or already a student of one of our cam-

puses, our Postgraduate Open Day is an ideal opportunity to learn more about our postgraduate programme offerings, our research capabilities, and to meet our staff and current stu-dents,” explains Prof Du Plessis.

What to expect from the Postgradu-ate Open Day?The Postgraduate Open Day will commence at 09:00 and run till 12:00 and will take place at the NWU Vaal Campus in Hendrik van Eck Boule-vard in Vanderbijlpark. It is important that you register before the day by visiting our website: http://www.nwu.ac.za/post-graduate-open-day-vaal

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The programme:09:00 – 09:10 Official Opening (Building 6, GO2)

09:10 – 09:30 Presentation: Research at the NWU Vaal

09:30 – 12:00 Visit one of the seven academic schools in Building 9 and Building 12 for more information on the different postgraduate programmes

09:30 – 12:00 Visit the Learning and Research Commons in Building 13

11:00 – 11:30 Presentation: Factors that influence postgraduate success

On the day, you will be able to:

• Meet the faculty staff from your field of study

• Get a quote on your intended field of study

• Submit your application form or apply online

• Find more information on avail-able postgraduate bursaries

• International students can liaise directly with our International Of-fice

• Visit our state-of-the-art Learning and Research Commons

For more information, you can con-tact Naledi Hlabahlaba on 016 910 3308 or send her an e-mail at Naledi.Hlabahlaba@nwu.ac.za

STUDENT 911

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STUDENT 911

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CAMPUS NEWS

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Sam’s

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There is something more to Sam Mothopeng than meets the eye. Not only does this final year Communication Sciences student have a clear-cut plan for his future professional career as a corpo-rate communications specialist, but he also has his sights set on motivating other youngsters to follow suit.

Sam – who is a KCom subject assistant and a journal-ist for the Campus’s student e-magazine – Student 24/7, is about to make his small screen debut when he features in the inspirational factual entertainment reality series for teenage viewers: Made in SA on SABC 3. The reality series celebrates young people of excel-lence by bringing them closer to their dream through a mentorship challenge. Made in SA gives participants an experience of a lifetime and helps them understand more about their life goal.

Made in SA – thinking differently about future ca-reersIn Sam’s case, he is introduced to the Corporate Com-munications field of specialisation and he is subse-quently paired with a Made in SA Coach who will guide him through a career related challenge and assist where necessary. Before he is introduced to his coach and assigned a challenge, viewers are introduced to him in their own environment – that is, the Vaal Trian-gle Campus of the North-West University (NWU Vaal). During a recent film shoot on the Campus, Sam was interviewed together with some of his peers, his lectur-ers and the editor of Student 24/7 – Kinga Siejek.

According to Ingrid Linde, Producer of Made in SA, the objective of Made in SA is to introduce different careers to viewers in an entertaining way as told by themselves and their peers. “The message is that it is cool to follow our passion no matter what it is! Work should not be a grind but a love, and nothing should stand in one’s way to go after your dream.” Ingrid explains that delivering spot-on content to the youth audience can be chal-lenging for a public broadcaster. “Made in SA educates through an entertainment vehicle. The shooting style is upbeat and lively as is the presentation with formatted components that drive the story. The voice-over artist is popular radio DJ, Carol Ralafeta, who adds spunk and dynamism with quips and editorial reflections.” Made in SA tells the stories of young South African achievers without being prescriptive to the viewer. The show gets viewers thinking about their futures and inspires them to take action.

More about Sam MothopengAccording to Sam he first got introduced to the Made in SA concept whilst he was searching the web –

Education Ambassadors SA, for internships, learnerships, bursaries and scholarships for young South African graduates. Sam explains how he went about to be featured on the show: “I had to submit a questionnaire which served as an audition of sorts after which I visited the Times Media Group for a meet-ing/ discussion with the producers. I had to share my passion for Corporate Communications with the team and tell them about my dreams for the future. “The audition at the Times Media Group was done in front of a camera and I have to admit, I was a little bit nervous!” says Sam.

Through his participation in the show, Sam hopes that other young people will come to the realisation that there are a lot of resources and help available and that opportunities should be taken when they present itself. “It is also important to know yourself and to set clearly defined goals for yourself.” He adds that there are plentiful opportunities and support networks on Campus and that students should make use of these opportunities – be it academic, social, cultural or in terms of sport.

After finishing his degree at the end of 2015, Sam is planning to study further within the field of Marketing Management – hence he believes that education is a continuous process. Asked where he saw himself in the next ten years he says: “Hopefully in the hot seat as a Communications Director at a vested agency!”

* Made in SA is produced by ochre.tv

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ALUMNI NEWS

Young NWU almuna spreads some

Madiba Magic

Twenty-one year old Boitumelo Phe-toe is a class act of note and this proud alumna of the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University (NWU Vaal) is a role model to young people as to what they can accom-plish if they put their minds and their hearts to something. In short: Boitu-melo is a sterling example of what hard work, a sense of community, and good values culminate to.

Boitumelo – who obtained her de-gree in Social Work in 2014 and is currently busy with a postgraduate study in Psychology, has a soft spot for the marginalised, needy and vul-nerable members of society – es-pecially children, and as such she has pioneered several community engagement initiatives aimed at bet-tering the immediate living standards of disadvantaged children. This year she will be hosting a Fashion for Lin-ger-ers campaign to celebrate Man-dela Day on 18 July 2015. She ex-plains: “When you are buying clothes you spend a lot of time lingering in the shop, and it becomes an activity that speaks of enjoyment, relaxation and privilege. Through my initiative I want to simulate this experience by creating an on-the-spot charity shop where the beneficiaries can linger and seek out whatever they feel like. By doing this they feel empowered

and it lessens the stigma associ-ated with receiving hand-me-downs from strangers.” This year sees Kids Haven in Benoni as the beneficiary and as such Boitumelo’s focus is on collecting as much children’s clothes and accessories as possible.“As a Social Worker I also know that it is important for young children to be ex-posed to decision making scenarios and that such activity will help them develop their negotiation skills as well as their communication skills. I also believe that this will strengthen their self-image” says Boitumelo.

According to Boitumelo her passion for community work stems from the various practical assignments she had to complete whilst studying to-wards her degree in Social Work. In 2014 she came up with a Shoes for School project in the Vaal Triangle region. This project challenged in-dividuals to collect school shoes – new or used, as well as stationary and educational toys. She added a unique twist to the project by giving each donor a 20litre bucket to fill with the mentioned items. “The smallest things are usually the ones that are forgotten, and I wanted to remind people that education is important and that each pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring book and pair of school shoes go a long way towards

enabling a successful schooling.” Boitumelo says that through her ex-posure to community work she has realised that although giving fancy and expensive gifts to needy children is a wonderful and noble gesture, it does not contribute towards address-ing their basic day-to-day needs. “There is still – in this day and age, a terrible stigma that clings to a child in need and by providing these young ones with basic necessities such as books, stationary, proper school wear and the likes each one of us can help to raise a member of the next generation of leaders, visionar-ies, change makers and philanthro-pists,” says Boitumelo.

Asked what she hopes to achieve through her various projects, Boitu-melo answers that she wants to serve as the livewire that gets her peers, communities and institutions to make a difference in a ways that do not feel forced or prescribed. “I want to show to the world that giving is fun and that it does not always have to revolve around money. Giving is effortless and the rewards are bountiful! That look of utter amazement and joy re-flected in a child’s eyes touches you in a way that cannot be described in words or be bought by any amount of money. It is that moment when you realise that you are a blessing for someone else, that you realise the true meaning of life.”

If you are interested to join Boitumelo please send her an e-mail at msbka-gisophetoe@gmail.com.

ALUMNI NEWS

Alumni gala event dinner: NWU Vaal alumni reminisce

Have you ever paged through a photo album and found yourself totally mortified when looking at photos of a younger you - especially photos of you and your friends sporting the latest fashion trends of ten, twenty years ago? Off course you have!

It is once again time to dust-off these photo albums, call-up some of your varsity friends and join in the fun of the annual NWU Vaal Alumni Gala Dinner, set to be hosted on Friday, 21 August 2015 in Vanderbijlpark. The dress code for this event is smart casual, but nothing prohibits you from gracing the red carpet with an outfit typifying your year of study.

It’s no news that your wardrobe says a lot about you – especially when you are a varsity student. Who can ever forget the chest hair, polyester, bell bottoms and flower patterned dress shirts of the 1970’s? And yes, the side-burns and tennis headbands…

Whoever said ‘less is more’ did not come of age in the 1980’s since this was the era of vibrant colour, size and experimentation. Female students fashioned blue mas-cara and yellow eye shadow, had their hair permed and teased to the skies and wore shoulder pads with every outfit. Men sported parachute pants, sweatshirts and Nike sneakers.

Varsity students of the 1990’s took the so-called ‘grunge look’ to town with both young men and women kitted out in flannel shirts, ripped jeans, Doc Martens and rock band T-shirts.

2015 Alumni Gala DinnerThis year will see Idols-winner Elvis Blue take to the stage to entertain guests. The theme of the 2015 Alumni Gala Dinner is: A year of impact.Elvis Blue is a man of impact – not only as a top musi-cian and songwriter, but also as someone with a heart for those around him. In fact, he lives by the words of well-known U2 front man, Bono: “Music can change the

world because it can change people.”

With album sales in excess of 350 000, nine Top Ten radio singles, and more than 700 live performances to his credit Elvis Blue is reckoned as one of the most suc-cessful artists in South Africa.

In 2010, Elvis was the winner of M-Net’s SA Idols and unselfishly shared half of his winnings with runner-up and young musician, Lloyd Cele. His first album enjoyed platinum sales status with sales in excess of 50 000 copies as well as a 2012 SAMA for Best Adult Contem-porary Album. A year later, in 2013, Elvis was nomi-nated for another 3 SAMA awards, namely: Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (“Journey”) and Song of the Year (“Lifeline”). This year will be another bumper year for Elvis, with his latest hit single “Shine” making him the top selling South African artist on iTunes in its first week of release. He also boasts with a brand new Afrikaans Album.

NWU Vaal Alumni fraternityAccording to Alwine Naude, Alumni Coordinator, the an-nual gala event serves as an important platform from where students – past and present, can nurture their connection to the Campus. With a Campus history that dates back to the mid 1960’s the event aims to reunite alumni from yesteryear with the new generation of young alumni and by doing so strengthen the student experi-ence and emotional bond which all alumni cherish.

“In short: alumni get-togethers represents an invaluable opportunity for academics, administrators, students and members of the community to reconnect and re-engage in a meaningful way with each other. In turn they also share with us how profoundly their lives were shaped by their time at the University – and more specifically the Vaal Triangle Campus, and the impact they themselves have brought about” explains Alwine.

The Campus’ alumni fraternity represents a 20 000 strong professional network of business leaders, entre-preneurs, academia and industry experts located around the globe and the annual Gala Dinner builds forth on the proud tradition of loyalty and excellence that typifies the spirit of the fraternity.

Book now to avoid disappointmentIf you would like to attend the gala event, please book your seat early to avoid disappointment. Tickets are available at R270 per person or R2 500 per table of ten guests. The event will take place at the Quest Confer-ence Estate in Vanderbijlpark and is set to start at 18:00. For more information please contact Alwine on 082 802 9299 or send her an e-mail at Alwine.naude@nwu.ac.za Also visit the NWU Vaal Alumni Facebook page for more information.

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INSPIRATION

Student 24/7 - 21

SPORTS NEWS

NWU Vaal hosts Intervarsity Equestrian Tent Pegging ChampionshipEquestrian Tent Pegging might be a relatively new sport-ing code on the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University (NWU Vaal), but the campus is rated amongst the top performing teams in South Africa. In 2014 the NWU Vaal made sporting history when it hosted the first-ever Intervarsity Equestrian Tent Peg-ging Championship. Apart from hosting the historic event, the campus was also victorious in their onslaught and was applauded as the top university equestrian team in South Africa. In 2015 the team from Kovsies (University of the Free State) emerged as the winners, with the NWU Vaal in a close second position followed by Tukkies (University of Pretoria).

The event, which was hosted by the NWU Vaal, saw Kovies stacking up a tally of 885 points, followed by NWU Vaal with 788 points and Tukkies with 745 points.

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SPORT

Student 24/7 - 25

22 - Student 24/7