Every gift, whether large or small, has helped build a future where excellence, access and impact is within reach for all who walk our campuses. Today, I write to share with you some of the things that your generosity has made possible.
Opening doors: Access and scholarships
Your contributions have directly supported THOUSANDS of students who might otherwise have never had the opportunity to attend our university. Thanks to bursaries and scholarships funded by donors like you, many first-generation students and those from underrepresented communities have found their place here. These bursaries and scholarships extend beyond financial aid. They represent a commitment to building a diverse and inclusive community, one that draws on the talents and dreams of students from every background.
With your help, we have also seen enormous progress in the development of better support services that foster all students’ success, from the beginning of their tertiary journey all the way through to their first job and subsequent career transitions. In her latest book, Long Life Learning, Michelle Weise outlines the kind of “wraparound” support she believes can be crucial in overcoming socioeconomic hurdles. She writes: “To stay focused on their education and career goals, learners need comprehensive wraparound supports, whether they are person-to-person or tech-enabled, to help them overcome hurdles and manage multiple commitments and competing priorities.”
Weise argues that effective wraparound support also needs to provide the kind of social capital that is often crucial to securing the jobs we want for our students. Indeed, social capital is just as much of an asset as financial or human capital, and this is where our global alumni network focus is so crucial in assisting our students to succeed.
Advancing knowledge: Research and innovation
From state-of-the-art laboratories, through interdisciplinary schools in data science and computational thinking as well as climate studies, to groundbreaking projects, your support has been a cornerstone of SU’s rise as a research leader on the continent.
Our Biomedical Research Institute, for example, stands as a hub of health innovation, where research is being conducted to address Africa’s most pressing health challenges, including HIV, malaria, Ebola, tuberculosis and Covid-19.
I also think of a range of academic chairs created and/or supported. These include the Ton and Anet Vosloo Chair in Afrikaans Language Practice, the Law Trust Research Chair in Social Justice, the Gys Steyn Chair in Financial Regulation Law, the Chair in Afrikaans Creative Writing, the Chair in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma, and the Standard Bank Lab Research Chair, which stimulates data science and computational thinking-related research.
Thanks to you, we are on the frontlines of discoveries that have the potential to change lives, not just in South Africa, but across the globe. Your contributions have empowered our scientists to tackle many issues, from climate change resilience and social justice to the Internet of Things, energy solutions such as solar power and green hydrogen integration, the transition to water and food security, as well as early childhood development. In this way, we advance knowledge that will shape our future.
Building world-class campuses: Infrastructure and facilities
Your generosity has reshaped our campus, enabling the creation of modern spaces where learning and collaboration flourish. Some examples here include new lecture halls such as the Jan Mouton Learning Centre, research centres such as the Allan Gray Centre for Africa Entrepreneurship, the inspiring THINK Bench in front of the Engineering campus, and the Masiphumelele Centre further down Banghoek Road, which supports our large bursary donors in their work of fostering student access and success at SU. Every building or feature funded by donor support has a story to tell – stories of students who have lived, learned and grown within these walls, and talented academics who have created incredible solutions to the vexatious problems of our time.
These facilities not only enhance the campus experience, but also ensure that our university remains a vibrant, welcoming space for generations to come.
Creating a community of impact: Alumni engagement and global partnerships
Beyond our physical campus, your support has also allowed us to strengthen our connections with alumni and partners locally and beyond. The Matie Valued Parent programme, which engages students’ parents as our partners, has added another dimension to our community, while peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives, enabling fundraising through participation in events such as the Cape Town Cycle Tour, the Comrades Marathon and the London-to-Brighton cycle race, have united alumni around causes they care deeply about.
Through these efforts, we are building a global network of supporters and ambassadors for SU – individuals like you who are as passionate about where we’re heading as they are about where we come from.
A legacy of transformation: Stellenbosch University’s role in society
Perhaps most importantly, your support has affirmed SU’s role as a driver of social and economic progress in South Africa and beyond. As a donor, you are part of a legacy of transformation that reaches beyond our campuses. From providing food security via #Move4Food to addressing the affordable housing crisis, your donations are helping us build a university community that is responsive to our students’ needs.
Various other donor-supported initiatives address communities’ needs more broadly. The South African legal system, for instance, can only be effective if it is accessible and credible in the eyes of the ordinary citizen. With your help, the Stellenbosch University Law Clinic extends access to justice to the poor and marginalised on issues such as evictions, debt relief and family violence. Our SciMathUS programme, in turn, offers learners from educationally disadvantaged circumstances a second opportunity to improve their NSC results in specific subjects so that they can reapply for the university programmes of their dreams.
An SU pilot with ethanol cookstoves as an alternative to traditional practices in poor households, such as paraffin stoves and open fires, represents a first step towards creating an ecosystem for renewable clean energy as a source of heating and cooking. The Movement Laboratory at the Sport Science Department develops and researches exercise interventions for movement disorders seen in seniors and those with neurological conditions such as spinal cord injuries, stroke, Parkinson’s disease as well as Alzheimer’s disease.
And then there’s the Iimbovane Outreach Programme – a curriculum-based initiative that educates the youth about biodiversity and science, while helping them develop much-needed practical science skills. The list goes on.
Our institution’s social impact is immense – thanks to you. Together, we are not only educating future leaders, but also tackling the social and economic challenges that affect our communities.
Looking forward: A future built on our shared vision
The story of R3 billion of giving is a story of dreams realised, challenges overcome, and the impact of each person who has contributed to this journey. As we look to the future, we do so with the knowledge that your support will continue to be the foundation upon which we build.
Thank you for believing in Stellenbosch University. Together, we have accomplished so much, and together, we will continue to shape a future that honours our shared vision and the remarkable legacy of generosity that you have helped create.
Karen Bruns
Senior Director: Development and Alumni Relations
