SAS is a developmental society, which focuses on pre-alumni or current students who would eventually become graduates and proud university ambassadors. The society provides leadership development opportunities and networking platforms. Other activities include pre-alumni awareness events, creating and promoting job opportunities, career development, volunteer experience through outreach projects and fundraising especially for bursaries. This model had later been adopted at various national universities, making SAS amongst the forerunners of pre-alumni activities in South African higher education.
SAS was established in 2006 by Nelson Mandela under the guidance of the University Alumni Relations Directorate and Alumni Association. The society was chaired by Gillian Okombo, a master’s graduate who hails from Kenya.
Highlights over the past 12 years include the T-shirt fundraising campaigns where a percentage of the sales were donated towards the Alumni Bursary fund. More than 8000 T-shirts were sold over the various campaign periods. . The development of new member recruitment and marketing strategies to increase membership ensured sustainability of the society and to ensure an everlasting connection with our students in preparation for their role as #FutureMandelaGraduates.
Click on the link to share your SAS experience.
For more information about the campaign please use the following link and social media handle:
http://alumni.mandela.ac.za/About-Alumni/Student-Alumni-Society
Nelson Mandela University Student Alumni
Studentalumni@mandela.ac.za