4 University of Pretoria staff tackle Comrades to help 'missing middle' students
Dr Bianca Frost, Josiah Mavundla, Mfundo Nyitana and Professor André Ganswindt are all running with the same mission: to make education more accessible.
(From left to right) Josiah Mavundla, Dr Bianca Frost, Mfundo Nyitana and Prof André Ganswindt I Picture: University of Pretoria website
Four staff members from the University of Pretoria (UP) are lacing up their running shoes to take on the legendary 90km Comrades Marathon on 8 June.
But it’s not just about the run for Dr Bianca Frost, Josiah Mavundla, Mfundo Nyitana and Professor André Ganswindt - it's about raising funds for UP students caught in the “missing middle".
Students in this category don’t qualify for government financial aid for tertiary education, but cannot afford university studies without financial assistance.
Every step they take will support the Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s Scholarship Fund, which helps these students stay on track with their studies.
Nyitana, a seasoned runner, says this is more than another race for him.
"I also want them to see that UP will do everything for them to graduate and change their lives, and for those around them."
- Mfundo Nyitana
Ganswindt, also taking on his fourth Comrades, sees the race as a metaphor for education.
“An endurance race like the Comrades is basically a mirror for any challenging task you may encounter in life... The race isn’t the difficult part; the long, early hours of training, dealing with injuries, staying disciplined while motivation is low, showing up when everybody else is still sleeping or busy otherwise… that’s the difficult part. Interestingly, everyone can do it, it just takes a little longer for some. So don’t say you can’t. If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
- Professor André Ganswindt
Joining them are Dr Bianca Frost and Josiah Mavundla, all running with the same mission: to make education more accessible.
They're calling on the community to back them, because with the right support, no student should have to give up on their future.
Want to help? Donations are open, and every bit counts.
Find the BackaBuddy links below for:
Dr Bianca Frost (Lecturer, Department of Marketing Management) - From the classroom to the Comrades!
Mfundo Nyitana (Senior Development Specialist, Department of Institutional Advancement) - Mfundo runs for dreams
Josiah Mavundla (Senior Manager: Advancement and Database, Department of Institutional Advancement) - Running to empower futures
Prof André Ganswindt (Director – Mammal Research Institute) - From the academic field to the finish line