Recently, Unisa’s Alumni Relations Office hosted a successful event in Polokwane. The objective was to create networking opportunities for the university’s alumni in the area. The occasion was well attended, and attendees were in high spirits. Firm friendships were established and business-related information shared. Many of the 25 000 alumni based in Polokwane and the surrounding areas play a pivotal role in the region’s economic sustainability and growth.

Unisa Alumni in the Limpopo Province gathered to develop networking opportunities and also to celebrate their alma mater’s 150th anniversary

On this occasion, Lethabo Matlala, convenor of the Polokwane chapter, addressed the attendees, outlining the chapter's planned projects. “I want to encourage you to get involved in supporting the university's goal of assisting students with outstanding tuition fees,” she said, pointing out that, as alumni residing and working in Polokwane, the attendees are in a position to make a difference in the lives of current and future students alike.

Many attendees volunteered to serve on the chapter’s steering committee, which will be driving projects such as fostering community engagement in the region, and establishing a Polokwane alumni scholarship bursary. “It will be a privilege for us to assist students in their journey towards attaining a degree,” one of the attendees stated.

The Polokwane alumni were excited about Unisa’s upcoming 150-year celebrations, and congratulated the university and its staff on reaching this important milestone.

The occasion presented an excellent opportunity to strengthen relationships between Unisa and its alumni, and to demonstrate this stakeholder group's continued importance to the university.

#Unisa150

* By Cilla Boucher, Alumni Relations Officer, Department of Institutional Advancement