Welcome to Univen Alumni

The Office of Alumni and Convocation takes over the responsibility of communicating, initiating activities and executing public relations programmes with graduates of Univen.

The Office is part of the Department of Communications and  Marketing.

We are very much aware that many alumni take special interest in events taking place at their University.

You are encouraged to stay connected and involved in Univen activities and therefore, also contribute to your University's development and good reputation.

You have for many years given us public perception about Univen off campus. We wish to also inform you on developments on campus.

You are the custodians of your alma-mater as other staff members and lecturers come and go, but you remain unshaken.

What is Alumni ?

An alumnus is a former registered student of the University of Venda. This category includes certificate, diploma and degree holders.

Convocation

As per legislation governing the University, all persons who Degrees from the University of Venda , the Vice-Chancellor, The Deputy Vice Chancellor, the Registrar , Chief Librarian of the University and permanent academic employees are members of Convocation.

Leadership and Administration

Alumni Affairs are the responsibility of the Department of Communications and  Marketing.

Kindly contact Mr. T.G. Neluheni for more information:

E-mail: tshifhiwa.neluheni@univen.ac.za
Tel: (015) 962 8632

Convocation Elects:

• The President and Vice President of Convocation
• Convocation representatives to the Council of the University.
• Five members of Convocation into the Convocation Executive.

The current Acting President is Mr. S.M. Ravhuanzwo. Mr. K.C. Nemadzivhanani, the University Registrar , is the Secretary of Convocation.  

Univen Alumni Mission

It is the mission of Univen Alumni Association.

• To act as ambassadors for the University;
• To co-operate in supporting strategic goals of the University;
• To unite alumni, friends of the University, parents and students, in an effort to establish and maintain friendship at grassroots level;
• To help attract and assist prospective students to attend at Univen;
• To advise the institution in its dealings with various publics;
• To maintain close ties with their alma-mater, and foster a feeling of loyalty;
• To assist and support the University in increasing its academic standards;
• To participate in the governance of the University.
• To contribute towards institutional advancement through donations / gifts in cash or in kind. Donations are tax deductible.

Membership

Members of Univen Alumni Association

All members of the Convocation and everyone who once registered to study at Univen are members of Univen Alumni Association.

The University of Venda has changed your lives, and as a Univen graduate, you know that. The time you spent on campus, the classes you took, the friendships you made have all played a role in your professional and personal success and provided you with valuable opportunities.

Alumni involvement enhances the value of a Univen degree. Being a member of the Alumni Association allows you to stay connected.

Executive Committee Convocation

President of Convocation

• No employee of the University may be elected as president or vice president.
• No employee of the University may be elected as Convocation representative on Council.
• The president of convocation holds office for a period of four years.
• If the president for any reasons vacates his or her office prior to the expiry of his or her term of office, the vice president must act as president until the convocation has elected a new president for the unexpired part of such term of office.
• The president is the chairman of all meetings and in his absence, vice president must act as chairperson.
• In the absence of both the president and the vice president, the members present must, under the guidance of the secretary to convocation, elect a chairperson for that meeting from amongst themselves.
•   A meeting of convocation may be convened by the president if he or she deem it necessary, and must be convened by the secretary when a written request signed by at least twenty members is lodged with him or her, provided that the matters for consideration at such meeting are stated in the form of specific motions and no matter other than those stated in such request may be discussed at such meeting.

Duties of the Convocation Executive

• To administer the affairs of Convocation.
• Discuss and on behalf of the convocation state its opinion upon matters relating to the University or to the convocation, including matters that may be referred to it by council.
• Assist the University in Resource Mobilization.  

Alumni Association

The power behind Alumni Relations is the loyalty and dedication of former students who join their regional groups. These are called regional chapters. The alumni may establish local chapters in a town or city.

Alumni Regions

The University of Venda has two Regional Chapters. We have the Univen Gauteng Alumni Chapter and the Univen Polokwane Alumni Chapter.

We have established interim committees in Mpumalanga Province and the Western Cape.

Univen Gauteng Chapter

The Alumni Office launched the Univen Gauteng Chapter on Saturday, 16 September 2006, at the Burghers Park Hotel – Pretoria.

The Univen Gauteng Chapter Committee consists of elected members.

Univen Polokwane Chapter

The Univen Convocation and alumni Office launched the Polokwane Chapter on Saturday, 13 October 2007 , in the Ngoako Ramalhodi Indoor Sports Centre, Seshego in Polokwane, the provincial capital of Limpopo Province .

The committee consists of elected members:

 Univen Mpumalanga Co-ordinating Committee

The Univen Convocation and Alumni Office established the Univen Mpumalanga Co-ordinating committee on Saturday, 07 July 2007, in Nelspruit; the provincial capital of Mpumalanga Province .

Nominated Members of the Committee are:

Univen Cape Town Chapter

The Convocation and Alumni Office has plans to establish a local Alumni Chapter.

Univen alumni in the Western Cape may contact a local contact person to increase our database of our alumni in the area, in preparation for the launch of the Chapter.

Contact person: Mrs. Dorah Mulidzi

E-mail : Dorah.Mulidzi@capetown.gov.za

School of Agriculture Alumni Association

The Office of Convocation and Alumni also encourages former students of different schools, to establish school based Alumni Associations.

The School of Agriculture , Rural Development and Forestry is the pioneer in this regard. The Association was established on 13 August 2006, at the University.

The committee consists of :

Aims and Objectives of School-based Alumni Association

• To enhance the general development and promotion of the University; especially, the school concerned.
• To encourage and stimulate participation by members with common interest through the organization of meetings, lectures and social functions.
• Linking the University with the community at large.
• Donations for the promotion of development in the school concerned.

Benefits of being part of the Association

Members of the Association will be able to participate in a wide range of School related activities like:

• School Reunions
• Assistance in Fundraising
• Invitations to talks and events
• Networking
• Research Partnerships
• Assistance in
• Mentorship
• Ambassadors of the School 

Alumni Contact Details

Update Your Details

I would like to stay in contact with you; and in order to rekindle and maintain the relationship with

alumni, I hereby request that you send me your current contact details. E-mail addresses are very important . Kindly pass this message to a relative or friends, who are former students of the University. Thank you.

Alumni and Development

The University of Venda has embarked on a project called The Recovery Plan. The alumni of Univen know that their alma-mater faces serious challenges of :

• Space - lecture theatres / hostel accommodation
• Equipments and
• Human Resource

It is in this regard that the alumni are called to assist in raising resources for the development of their alma-mater. The money raised will go towards one billion rand capital campaign. The University has so far raised close to half billion rands in the last two years. Alumni are asked to take part in this campaign as demonstrated by the Univen Gauteng Alumni Chapter in 2007.

The alumni are also encouraged to support a Fund for needy but deserving students. More Information is available at (012) 321 4345 and (015) 962 8632.

Events

Past Events

The Univen Polokwane Alumni Chapter has Established and launched a Chapter in the Ngoako Ramalhodi Indoor Sports Centre-Seshego, Polokwane, on the 13 October 2007.

The Univen Gauteng Alumni Chapter hosted a Fundraising dinner in Pretoria on 17 November 2007. The proceeds went to the Univen Foundation to assist with the University's Recovery Plan.

The Univen's autumn graduation ceremonies took place in the university auditorium on Thursday, 08 May and Friday, 09 May 2008 .

Meeting of the Executive of Convocation on Sunday, 20 th April 2008 ; in Thohoyandou at 07h30. Matters transacted included the following:

• Development on campus including the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor.
• Progress report on the Recovery Plan.

Meeting of the Univen Gauteng Chapter Committee on Saturday, 21 June 2008 in Pretoria with the University management; transacting about campus updates and Gauteng Alumni Chapter developments. 

Upcoming Events

The Univen School of Agric Alumni Association executive and NRM will come to the University to launch the students’ sponsorship that was announced in the previous general meeting (2008 Symposium) ; on the 13 March 2009. The sponsorship covers students in the school of agriculture and the school of environmental sciences.

For more information contact:

Dr. S. Liphadzi at (012) 330 9021 / Stanley@wrc.org.za, KhathutsheloT@dbsa.org or Nepfumbadar@arc. Agric.za.

The Univen Gauteng Alumni Chapter General. The date is yet to be announced but the function will take place before the end of November 2008. For more information contact the secretary of the Gauteng Alumni Chapter: PosoM@CCMA.org.za.

Alumni News

The University of Venda is proud of all its alumni, and some of them heed our call for assistance in resource mobilization. For an example, we are proud to single out two important alumni donors viz.

• Prof. Dr. M. Tshifularo, an ear, nose and throat specialist who donated R 25 000 -00 to a bursary fund and graduation awards, from 2002- 2007.
• Mr. Moses Singo is another distinguished donor since 2000 to 2008. He owns a company, SINGO-FLORA which supplies most EU countries and domestic market with fresh produce but specializing in producing flowers for industries.