The talent and creativity of students and graduates of the Graphic Design subject group at the North-West University (NWU) have earned them recognition at the recent international Loerie Awards and national Pendoring Awards events.

The NWU’s students and graduates have always shone in these competitions and this year is no exception. Their distinctive creativity and skills have impressed judges and secured them two silver Pendoring awards, a Pendoring craft gold certificate, three Pendoring craft certificates and a bronze Loerie award.

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Keorapetse Mashimo has been selected as one of the 100 South African Shining Stars  by Inside Education for his contribution to sport in his community.

This was announced during a function hosted by Inside Education and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) on 20 October in Johannesburg. 

This annual event recognises young individuals – nominated by their peers and organisations – for giving their time and talent to make their communities, and also country, a better place to life.

By Ontiretse Motingwa

For North-West University (NWU) alumnus, Oreneile Mosupyoe, variety is the spice of life.

Oreneile studied sports science but swopped the sports field for the stage when he got into pageantry. He has since won several titles, with the most recent being Mr Tshwane Regions Philanthropist 2022.

Born and bred in Garankuwa, Pretoria, he considers himself an optimist and an all-rounder.

“I have always been a performer and I have participated in drama, dance and poetry from pre-school to varsity.

Khululwa Nosipho Shibane, North-West University (NWU) alumnus and an educator at Christinah School for the Blind and Partially Sighted, came second in the category Excellence in Special Needs Teaching in the North West provincial segment of the National Teaching Awards that took place on 7 October 2022.

This was not her first accolade. Khululwa also represented the Christiana School in 2020 in the same category at that year’s National Teaching Awards.

Congratulations, congratulations and, once more, congratulations! History will always remember the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Dr Adele Broodryk, a senior lecturer at the School of Human Movement Sciences at the Faculty of Health Sciences, as being the first South African woman to complete the 2022 Comrades Marathon.

She also claimed the overall third position in the women's division with a time of 06:26:35. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that it was the mother of two’s first Comrades Marathon.  

The inauguration of Dr Bismark Tyobeka as the third vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU) is the start of an exciting new journey for the university.

Dr Tyobeka, who started his five-year term as principal and vice-chancellor on 1 June 2022, was officially inaugurated on 26 August during a prestige event at the Feather Hill Hotel and Venue in Potchefstroom.

On 11 August 2022, the North-West University (NWU) Business School launched its Internationalisation Africa Outreach programme in Botswana with the theme “Water is life: sustainable water management in Southern Africa”.

The launch was attended by NWU Business School alumnus, Minister of Land and Water Affairs in Botswana, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila, and the NWU principal and vice-chancellor, Dr Bismark Tyobeka. 

The famous French fashion designer Coco Chanel said to be irreplaceable, one must always be different and that was definitely the case when Dr Anja Erasmus received her PhD in Environmental Science on 29 July 2022. She stood out by wearing a dress with her research printed on it.

Her journey at the NWU started in 2012 where she enrolled for her BSc degree in Tourism, Zoology, and Geography. She went on to obtain her Honours degree in Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology in 2015 and her Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences in 2017.

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Advocate Dineo Mongwaketse has recently been appointed as the first-ever female manager for the Mahikeng local municipality, and assumed office on 1 August.

Advocate Mongwaketse recently graduated with an LLM degree from the NWU. She also holds an LLB and MBA degree from the NWU, as well as a BTech in internal auditing and a national diploma in internal auditing from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. After completing her LLB degree, she served pupillage at the North West Bar Association.

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Tebogo Edwin Lesoro has been selected as one of the winners of the Education Changemakers programme.

This programme, now running for its second year, was initiated by the Trevor Noah Foundation, in partnership with the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Centre Southern Africa (YALI RCLSA) and the University of South Africa.

Tebogo came in sixth in the top 10 best presentations from participants in the Southern African Developing Countries (SADC) region.