Stellenbosch University
Welcome to Stellenbosch University
Students share their ‘first impressions’ of SU
Author: Rozanne Engel / Corporate Communication
Published: 23/02/2018


“The voice of the student should never be underestimated." This is what Anthony Andrews, Speaker of the Student Parliament and chairperson, emphasised on Wednesday 21 February at the #FirstImpressions event held at the Stellenbosch University Museum.

The discussion was organised by the Academic Affairs Council – whose primary responsibility is to represent and protect the academic affairs of students at Stellenbosch University (SU) – and saw students and a panel of representatives from various University divisions engaging with one another. The aim of #FirstImpressions was to foster dialogue about students' impressions of SU and the issues affecting them, with key themes being inclusivity, representation and student support.

One of the panellists, Ms Christelle Feyt, Senior Director: Prospective Students, reiterated the importance of SU's strategic message, which calls for the creation of a more inclusive and diverse campus: “One of the challenges the University faces is creating enough space for more vulnerable students who are faced with dire financial circumstances and who come from backgrounds where they had very little to no access to educational resources before they came to SU."

Another concern voiced by students related to the lack of affordable accommodation and financial assistance for those who could not afford student housing on campus. Dr Celeste Nel, Head: Admissions and Residence Placement, assured students that strategic measures were being put in place to alleviate this problem. “The intent is there to make sure that more students can be accommodated on campus, however the reality is that there is not enough affordable accommodation or even logistical space for all students in Stellenbosch. We are working on prioritizing the needs of particularly those students who live very far from campus, but there are still challenges, which we hope to resolve over time," explained Dr Nel.

The discussions made it clear that there was a definite need to foster an inclusive environment at SU and to continually create opportunities for dialogue such as #FirstImpressions.

The discussion also marked the last day of the #FirstImpressions exhibition – a collaborative project with the University Museum, inspired by the idea of a wishing well. The hands-on, evolving art installation served not only as an introduction to the Museum for newcomer first-years, but also the entire SU community, alumni and the general public.

During the preceding month, everyone visiting the exhibition received a tag. They were asked to write their first impression of Stellenbosch on one side and their hopes and dreams for Stellenbosch for the next 100 years on the reverse. These wishes could then be thrown into the 'well' on the first floor of the Museum.