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After holding the reins at the NWU's alumni office for the past 12 years, Izette is now leaving the Mooi River in Potchefstroom for the canals of the Dutch city of Groningen.
Izette says one of the highlights of her career was visiting Prof Tjaart van der Walt, former rector of the campus in Potchefstroom, in 2017 to present him with an NWU Lifetime Achievement Award.
Izette and her family are on holiday in the Kruger National Park. With her is her husband, Bram (centre) and their daughters Marné (far left) and Jonél, with Jonél's husband Janco Jordaan (far right). Bram was born of Dutch parents and has relatives in the Netherlands.
Farewell, Izette!
After 12 years at the Alumni Office of the NWU, department head Izette Schouwstra is departing for the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in the Netherlands, where she will help reinvigorate their alumni programme.
Having lived in the Netherlands before, she is looking forward to the never-ending greenery of her adopted home. She is, however, not leaving without a lot of fond memories and a legacy to be proud of.
Q: What was your favourite part of your job?
A: Working with people such as my colleagues and our alumni was the most fun and I’m going to miss that a lot. The Dutch are not as personal or as intimate as us. I’ve always believed that you should share with your people and not go away without leaving them in a better position. I think I have achieved that. We are a formidable team with one goal.
Q: What makes the alumni of the NWU so exceptional?
A: I think the fact that our alumni are all so completely different from each other. Our composition is so unique and that is a big advantage. We have so many different cultures and people who are passionate about the NWU.
Q: What were some of your personal highlights as department head of the alumni office?
A: In 2017 we visited the former rector of the campus in Potchefstroom, Prof Tjaart van der Walt. He was so frail and we went to his retirement home to present him with an NWU Lifetime Achievement Award. On that day his mind was clear and he spoke so beautifully and with so much passion about the university and the way forward.
Q: Can you tell us about some of the people who had a big influence on your time here?
A: Louis Jacobs, the director of Corporate Communication, was with me from the start and I learned so much from him, such as how he gets things done immediately. He was always a sounding board for me.
Then there is Thandi Ralekgetho and Louisa Vermeulen. It almost feels like I’ve raised them. We have an amazing alumni database that can be compared to any in the world and that is thanks to Thandi and Louisa.
Q: What makes the NWU so special to you?
A: The NWU isn’t just my work. This is where my friends are. This is where love and loss happen. I was a student here and I’ve worked here for nearly 20 years (including six years at the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences). I have grown with the university.
All the best with the next phase of your career, Izette, and we hope your path and ours will again cross in the future. – Editor
The NWU & U
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Here Izette, Prof Fika Janse van Rensburg, the previous deputy vice-chancellor on the campus in Potchefstroom, and Abigail Leshope, alumni relations practitioner are with NWU alumna Carina van der Walt and her son, Bernard van der Walt on their farm Schalkwykskraal on the banks of the Gariep Dam. The Van der Walts hosted the Gariep alumni event in August 2018.
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