Maties encouraged to be the driver of their own success at OACS launch

“We are living in exciting times here at the University – things are happening here.” With these words the Dean of Students at Stellenbosch University (SU), Dr Llewellyn MacMaster kicked off the first gathering of the newly formed Our Alumni Circle Stellenbosch or OACS for short.

Ms Marian Hester, the speaker at the launch of OACS.

OACS, the brainchild of the Alumni Relations office at SU, is a volunteer programme to connect Stellenbosch University’s graduates of the last ten years (2000-2010) with the mission, work and community of the University, in order to promote continued alumni engagement and participation.

Alumni and final year students braved the winter chill to not only celebrate the launch of OACS, but also to broaden their professional networks. Ms Marian Hester, a graduate of SU’s Faculty of Law and Head of Absa Capital: Legal Markets shared her thoughts on how to be passionate and creative in your job. Her presentation, titled The Ownership Attitude: passion and creativity at work emphasised that “your attitude is the key to success”. She also explained how the concept of work has changed over the years with people no longer staying in one job for life. She quoted statistics stating people will in one lifetime have at least four jobs and work for at least six employers.

She challenged the audience to deliberately make a change in the way they do things. She also said if people want to become more creative they need to do something that is “not you”. She encouraged the audience to become problem-solvers, to take responsibility for their own success and to make use of all available resources to them.  She also emphasised the need for people to continuously develop and improve their talent and skills. “No matter where you are in the continuum, talented people will always be in demand.”

The OACS committe pictured here with Ms Marian Hester, speaker for the evening. (Photos: Justin Alberts, Communication & Liaison)

Ms Ilse Matthys and Dr Trunette Josephs, both members of the OACS committee explained to the audience why they decided to become part of the OACS initiative. Ms Matthys urged the “young alumni” to become part of their alma mater as it afforded them a chance to get connected to the University, broaden their networks – both with the University and the broader community out there.

Dr Josephs said the reason why she became involved with OACS was because the initiative tied in with her background of “where you can, make a difference”.

In response to a question on whether she always had a clear path on where she wanted her professional life to go, Ms Hester said she knew earlier on what kind of work  she wanted to do. “I had no clue I would end up in investment banking, but I had a clear idea of how I wanted to feel about my work. What I did was that I tried to follow what I was excited about.”

For the Flickr album: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stellenboschuniversity/sets/72157627407574238/

For the YouTube-video: http://youtu.be/aO9ICdTAsdA