Dear alumni

They can be scary and exciting at the same time, and they can’t be avoided. They fill us with dread and hope and are doorways to each new phase of our lives. They are “first days”.

In this edition of the NWU & U, you can read about the first-year students arriving on our campuses – starry-eyed youngsters who have started a thrilling new chapter. For many of them, it is the first time they are spreading their wings and leaving the nest. Others might be the very first in their families to attend a university.

However, this won’t be the last “first day” they will face. In a few years, they will cross another threshold and experience their first day at work.

It is the university’s responsibility to prepare them for that day. We teach them new skills, hone their talents and show them how to embrace diversity and become accountable citizens who care about social justice.

On the back page of this edition, you can watch how the Faculty of Education empowered their 2018 first-year students during a work-integrated learning camp.

You, as our alumni, can join our quest to empower our students. You can do this by sharing your knowledge or your experience of the world of work with our students, or by helping to fund some of the NWU projects. Should you want to become involved, you are welcome to contact Izette Schouwstra, the section head of the NWU Alumni Office, at izette.schouwstra@nwu.ac.za.

Let’s take hands and equip the Class of 2019 so that they will go on to face their “first day” at work with confidence and pride.

Happy reading!

Nelia and the

NWU & U team