Newsletter Archive

IT’S STILL IN OUR HANDS… that’s the theme for this year’s Nelson Mandela International Day, celebrated on July 18th. It reminds us of the joy to be found in serving others, and the progress that can be achieved through unity and a commitment to justice.  We hope that wherever Witsies are in the US, they look for ways to serve their neighborhoods. And to give back however they can.

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CREATING CONNECTIONS is what the Wits Fund is all about. We build the sense of home and belonging, as well as the professional networks that Witsies can rely on. Wherever you are in the US, please reach out to us if you would like to start a small and sustainable local group. We’d love to help and guide you as our community grows.

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Memorial Day is there to remind us of the sacrifices made by those who came before us, and our responsibility to our communities. Let us think deeply about how we can make sure that we honor the memory of our own families and live a life of purpose.

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IN A WORLD SEARCHING FOR MIRACLES, be the reason someone else is able to take a step forward, to feel good about themselves, and to have courage. Be the miracle.

Wits and the Embassy of Ukraine to South Africa come together to honor a scientist son of both countries. The much anticipated Balinsky Symposium was a commemoration of the life and legacy of world-renowned Wits scientist Professor Boris Balinsky, who died in 1997.

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SPRING HATH SPRUNG, and everything feels more hopeful and alive. Even though there are still days of gloom and darkness to get through, we know that sunny days are just ahead. How can we help our communities bloom, and how can we pay forward all the things for which we are grateful?

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Wits University officially welcomed 6,300 first-year students to its campus during the annual Welcome Day event at the end of January.

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As we think about our institution and how it advances the public good, we recognise that the world is facing multiple challenges including global conflicts, humanitarian crises, and a climate emergency.

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December is already here, bringing to an end another year of successes and challenges for us all.  As you take time to reflect on 2023 and prepare for the new year, we hope that you will  have a comforting and joyful holiday season, as well as the chance to be of service to each other.

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NOW THAT WE HAVE SHAMELESSLY USED OUR SPRINGBOK PRIDE TO GET YOUR ATTENTION, we are asking for your 2023 end-of-year charitable gift to the Wits Fund. Wits (and South Africa) need us and every dollar will go a long way. No matter the size of your donation, whether it’s helping to pay a student’s outstanding fees to enable them to graduate with the rest of their class or establishing a named scholarship in a loved one’s name, we can help guide you so your giving will be maximized.

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AUTUMN LEAVES ARE FALLING, AND THE SKIES ARE GREY. The world is feeling fragile, and our thoughts are about how to make sure future generations don’t repeat the mistakes of our pasts. We should each look for ways to make the world better, one small act of love at a time.

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SUMMER CAME AND WENT, and here we are, renewed with energy and focus, looking to make a positive impact in the world. In this month’s newsletter, we carry stories of donations made, and lives already changed because of it.

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With the re-opening of Zola Clinic, we are celebrating a giant step forward for the provision of cutting-edge oral health care in Africa. The Wits Fund board was grateful to facilitate this project, made possible by a generous donation from the Stanley, Marion, Paul & Edward Bergman Family Foundation as part of Wits University’s Centenary celebrations.

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KNOW IT’S COME AND GONE, BUT HAPPY FOURTH, Y’ALL! Here’s hoping you and your family and friends are taking advantage of the beautiful summertime activities all across the United States. And as we celebrate our American home, let us never forget our beloved South African homeland.

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Wits Fund is proud to present two powerhouse academics to discuss “The power of Universities in Society – The role of Wits in South Africa”. South African society continues to evolve as it deals with the realities of immigration, development, and global issues. What role do universities play in forming, informing and transforming society?

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HOW WILL THEY REMEMBER YOU WHEN YOU ARE 90? Will people gather and tell tales of your kindness and wit and impact on their lives? It is never too late to do what you need to leave the world better than you found it. Prof Margo Steele, a redoubtable Wits heroine shows us the way, as we show in the story below.

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It is with heavy hearts that we write this newsletter. On 16 May, the Wits community lost a giant – Professor Barry Dwolatzky, the “Grand Geek” and Innovation Guru. He is remembered for his brilliant mind, his sense of integrity and purpose, and his kind and loving heart. We dedicate this newsletter to him.

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It’s always so wonderful to hear from so many of you, telling us how much you enjoy reading and receiving this monthly newsletter. We love putting it together, cause it reminds us of all the lovely things we should be grateful for – growing up in wonderful South Africa, graduating from a world-class university, and now being here in the US, taking on the world. 

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The March madness weather – either 10ft snow, or high sunny days – is almost over. And while we can look forward to warmer days with a new spring in our step, what step can every one of us take to bring sunshine into someone else’s life? You can brighten and change someone’s entire future with a scholarship! Contact us at the Wits Fund, and we will help make that happen.

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HOW DO YOU SHOW LOVE? WITH FLOWERS AND A CARD ONCE A YEAR? OR WITH SOMETHING THAT IS MUCH LONGER LASTING? Have you thought about setting up family philanthropy goals, even if you are still far from retirement? What about a scholarship in the name of a loved one? Call or write to us and we will help you find ways to give back to causes at Wits which are close to your heart.

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SO YOU MADE IT TO THE END OF JANUARY…now what? Time to shake off the “Janu-worry blues” and figure out how you will have an impact in the world in 2023. Don’t worry, we have some ideas for you!

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Wits celebrates thousands of Graduands at its December Graduation ceremonies including an Honorary Degree conferred on Wits Fund Board member, Prof Hazel Sive for her contribution towards promoting academic excellence and international partnerships.

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Prof Konidaris explores the future of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and computer science – as well as share stories of growing up in Joburg in the 80s and 90s, finding his passion for AI at Wits, and his journey since then.

Watch the video here

‘Tis the season to be Thankful! And we say, to each and everyone one of you: thank you for flying the Wits flag high, wherever you are in the country.

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Whether you still call it Autumn, or now say Fall… you have to admit it is a beautiful time of the year, here in the USA. As we go about getting ready for Halloween, and the upcoming holiday season, it is good to remember our roots, and to pay our good fortune forward.

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It’s been a jam-packed month. And this is the first of our new-look newsletter, which we redesigned just in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of our alma mater, Wits University. The Wits Vice-Chancellor was on a tour of the US East Coast in September (look out for more news on that in our next issue) and he made it to Times Square for a very special celebration.

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Time for our latest Wits Fund newsletter! We tell you about next month’s reunions on the east coast… don’t miss out! And about the Great Hall Facelift: because, when you turn 100, who doesn’t need a little lift and tuck to weather the next 100?

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World renowned endocrinologist, and former Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine at UPenn and EVP of its Health System, Prof Arthur Rubenstein, is our inaugural speaker for the Wits Fund webinar series. He reflects on his illustrious career, and his start at Wits University, in a talk entitled “My Journey from Wits to the Univ. of Pennsylvania: Personal Reflections”

Watch the video here

How Curiosity Saved this Cat: The life story of an out-of-the-box thinker and maverick. Plus, in the 13th issue of Curios.ty, themed: #Gender, Wits University features research across the gender spectrum that aims to ensure a more equitable and tolerant society.

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Our June 2022 newsletter covers the visit to our shores of a Fellow of the Royal Society, as well as the story of how having great chemistry took one alumnus all over the world…sometimes by bicycle.

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Tal Gilbert is the CEO of Vitality USA, Discovery Group’s subsidiary in the US. Tal studied Statistics and Actuarial Science at Wits, followed by an M.Phil in Development Studies at the University of Oxford.