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|  Dear MatiesAlumni
This year is no exception when it comes to the number of former
students who have popped in for coffee, for hearty conversations and to
pepper me with questions!
Thank you very much! This is truly the aspect of my work that I enjoy
most – especially the many questions on Afrikaans, alumni contributions
to Vision 2012 AND offers from former students who wish to become
involved.
Alumni functions appear to be increasing in popularity! It is almost as
if there is an awakening of the relationship between the University and
its former students. I am very excited about this.
You keep us on our toes regarding the progress we are making with
Vision 2012 and your questions are clearly those of people who are
truly up to date with developments at SU. And even more important, it
shows that there are many alumni who want to know how to become
involved!
Become involved!
Bear in mind that you can become involved as a network coordinator for
a specific region or by becoming a mentor. Feel free to contact me for
more information, or visit www.matiesalumni.net. We also would like to
welcome Ellena de Jager, our new network coordinator for Johannesburg.
Meet the new rector
We receive many requests to meet the new rector. This is the reason why
the rest of the year's activities are packed with opportunities for
interaction with Prof Russel Botman. Come meet him and hear what his
vision is for the University.
We have met more than a thousand former students over the past six
months. This includes visits to Secunda, Oudtshoorn, the Overstrand
area, in die Boland and even as far away as Botswana and the United
Kingdom.
I return to Stellenbosch refreshed after each visit, filled with new
ideas and enthusiasm to fulfil your needs, because that is why I am
here! Best of all is that even though we sometimes differ, we can share
our various standpoints with each other passionately.
Attend a MatiesAlumni function
By the end of this year we would have invited a record number of alumni
to various events. More than 60% of the approximately 96 000 alumni of
whom we know would by then have received an invitation to some or other
occasion.
Take time to look at the events on the MatiesAlumni calendar. If you
live in the Western Cape you should not miss the event of the year: a
formal ball, to be held at the Cape Town International Convention
Centre (CTICC) on 1 September. Come celebrate being a Matie with us…in
style!
Greetings from Stellenbosch!
Heidi
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New network coordinator
MatiesAlumni network coordinators arrange gatherings in conjunction
with the Alumni Office, provide news items and help update address
lists. Here is the newest coordinator. Visit www.matiesalumni.net for
the complete list.
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South Africa (Gauteng, Johannesburg): Ellena de Jager, BA Hons (Industrial Psychology)
Ellena is the newest network coordinator. She writes that her five
years as a Matie were so amazing that she simply had to become involved
again. “I would love to act as a link to re-establish and strengthen
ties for all the Maties who, as I, moved to Gauteng to tackle the rat
race." Ellena, an SRC member in 2004, was in Minerva and later was a
member of the Aristea house committee. She was involved with MFM 92,6
for a long time and served on the editorial committee of the
Stellenbosse Student. She also served on the Carnival Committee (now
known as Rag) and the Intervarsity Committee. “My passion for the music
industry called me strongly. After working for Karen Zoid for a while,
I moved to Electromode Music, where I currently handle the production
of CDs and DVDs and act as assistant to the Managing Director.
Stellenbosch will always be where my heart lies."
Contact Ellena by e-mail at ellena@ilcglobal.com or phone her on cell no 082 920 1357 or on 011 463 0248.
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UK Maties hold reunion
MatiesAlumni from as far away as Birmingham in the United Kingdom (UK)
got together at South Africa House in Trafalgar Square in London to
meet Prof Russel Botman and other alumni in the UK.
Here they were brought up to date with the latest developments at the University and strengthened their own networks.
One guest had the following to say: “It was definitely the best evening
in London so far. The genuine South African food, wine and beautiful
photos and all the information on Matieland ensure that I will remain a
Matie. Thank you for the trouble you go to worldwide to strengthen our
networks!"
Are you a former Matie in London? The network coordinator of
MatiesAlumni in London is Christine Walters. Contact her at 44 77 11
096 111 or by e-mail at chris10walters@hotmail.com.
Front: Liesl Potgieter, Attie James, Petrus van der Westhuizen, Sarah
Czarnomsky. Back: Mikki and Pieter Malan, Marko Bekker, Christine
Walters (the MatiesAlumni network coordinator in London) and Henk
Viljoen.
Front: Helga Punt, Prof Russel Botman (Rector) and Charlene Hendriksz.
Back: Jacques Bekker, Stephen Booysen and Niel Hendricksz.
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At the UK reunion:
Photo top: Front: Liesl Potgieter,
Attie James, Petrus van der Westhuizen, Sarah Czarnomsky. Back: Mikki
and Pieter Malan, Marko Bekker, Christine Walters (the MatiesAlumni
network coordinator in London) and Henk Viljoen.
Photo bottom: Front: Helga
Punt, Prof Russel Botman (Rector) and Charlene Hendriksz. Back: Jacques
Bekker, Stephen Booysen and Niel Hendricksz.
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JULY
Sat 28 July: Alumni dinner in Lusaka, Zambia
AUGUST
Thu 9 August: Breakfast event for all female alumni in the Cape to celebrate Women’s day with the theme "women & wine”!
SEPTEMBER
Sat 1 September: Don’t miss out on the biggest event on the social calendar for 2007!!
All alumni in the Western Cape will be invited to celebrate their Matie
status… in style with a black tie dinner ball at the Cape Town
International Convention Centre!
NOVEMBER
Fri 2 November: Washington
Sun 4 November: New York
Sat 10 November: Gauteng
Contact Heidi October at tel (021) 808 2948 or via e-mail at hoctober@sun.ac.za for more information on these events.
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 Alumni in Botswana had the opportunity to meet the new rector and vice-chancellor, Prof Russel Botman, earlier this year.
Prof Botman was in Gaborone to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU)
with his counterpart at the University of Botswana, Prof Bojosi
Otlhogile, to promote collaboration between the two universities. The
MoU allows for student and staff exchange and general cooperation in
the areas of research, teaching, supervision and support.
The Alumni Office hosted an alumni function for SU’s Botswana alumni, at which Prof Botman was the guest speaker.
The University of Botswana is now SU’s third institutional partner on
the continent. In 2006, the university signed MoU’s with the University
of Dar es Salaam and Makerere University. Discussions are underway with
the University of Namibia, the University of Mauritius, the University
of Nairobi in Kenya and Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia for similar
agreements.
The MatiesAlumni Network Coordinator in Gaborone is Nnana Mmopelwa.
Contact her at 267 716 27021 or via e-mail at nnana_m@hotmail.com.
Photo above: Dr Kagiso and Ms Yvonne
Mmonatau, Prof Nogwaja Zulu, Vice-Chancellor of the UB, Prof Russel
Botman, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, Mr
Patrick and Ms Margaret Gunda.
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We need your information
The terms of office of three members of the Council of Stellenbosch
University who are appointed by the Convocation of the University
expire early next year. It might therefore become necessary for the
members of the Convocation to appoint new Council members early in
2008.
As a result of the tremendous cost of postage, ballot papers were not
sent by mail during the previous election. However, Convocation members
are informed by e-mail and, if an election should take place, ballot
papers will again be distributed via e-mail. All graduates of SU, as
well as current and retired members of the academic staff of the
University, are members of the Convocation.
To ensure that you are informed in time, please make sure that your
contact details and particularly your e-mail address are correct.
Contact Ms Malena Fourie at 021 808 4843, e-mail your details to
alumni@sun.ac.za or visit the alumni website at www.matiesalumni.net to
update your details online. (If you do not yet have a user name and
password for this web portal, send an e-mail to alumni@sun.ac.za.)
E-newsletter on the way
SU is also planning an e-newsletter for alumni. To receive this
e-newsletter your address details (e-mail address) have to be correct.
Come on, let us hear from you!
Minutes of the annual meeting of the Convocation
The minutes of the annual meeting of the Convocation, which was held on
9 November 2006, are available on the SU website at www@sun.ac.za under
the heading ‘Alumni’, or can be requested electronically at
esk@sun.ac.za. You may also request the minutes to be posted to you by
phoning 021 808 4516. Because of high printing and postage costs, the
minutes will no longer be posted to all members of the Convocation.
Also take note:
The following annual meeting of the Convocation takes place on Thursday
8 November 2007 at 19:00 in the HB Thom Theatre, Victoria Street,
Stellenbosch. The speaker at the occasion will be the University’s new
rector, Prof Russel Botman.
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