The programme is designed to empower university students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend university, to achieve their goal of reaching graduation and starting a meaningful career.

The programme selects students enrolled in professional and in-demand degrees at SU for a top-up scholarship that covers any gap in their full cost of attendance at university. Students also receive ongoing targeted and personalised guidance and resources on campus from dedicated programme staff. This includes academic support, wellness resources, leadership development, career coaching, and job placements upon graduation.

Laylaa Davids, one of 100 students who were selected for SU’s first Dell Young Leaders cohort in 2020, says the bursary and support provided by the programme enabled her to imagine a future for herself after university.

Laylaa graduated with a BCom in Financial Management in 2022 and an honours degree in Strategy and Innovation in 2023. In 2024, she successfully entered the world of work on a graduate programme in asset management. She says the regular check-ins from on-campus staff throughout her university career were instrumental in helping her maintain the right headspace to focus solely on her studies and successfully complete her degree.

“With help such as career coaching, mentorship and mock interviews, I overcame my fear of the future after university. I am now confident and ready to enter the workforce.”

Since 2020, a total of 665 students have been welcomed into the programme at SU. “The Dell Young Leaders programme is significantly contributing to student success at our institution,” says Bruns. A recent report shows that 96% of Dell Young Leaders students have been retained at SU, with 58 having graduated and 580 remaining active in their studies at SU. The programme also boasts a 98% placement rate for graduates into employment or career-enhancing further study within 3 months, which according to Bruns, translates to real-world success. Over five years, the programme seeks to benefit 1 000 Maties.

When the programme launched at SU in 2020, the University committed to allocating increased scholarship funds to further grow the number of students who will benefit from this programme, thereby doubling up on student success.

Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU, said at the time, “The Dell Young Leaders programme is a vehicle to help SU fulfil its core strategic objectives. At SU, we value our students and are committed to delivering a transformative student experience to each one of them.”

The Dell Young Leaders programme is committed to continuing to understand the evolving needs of SU students as they navigate graduating university and starting a career.

Helen Vaughan, Program Director at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation says, “We are excited to witness the impact of faculty-led academic interventions as a result of SU’s broader institutional investment in student success. With the programme’s graduate numbers growing [currently 100+ final year students], we are optimistic about partnerships with employers and SU alumni to widen access to meaningful job opportunities for Dell Young Leaders graduates for them to achieve life-changing outcomes.”

To learn more about the Dell Young Leaders programme visit dellyoungleaders.org. The Dell Young Leaders programme is a partnership between Stellenbosch University and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.