Dr Sheila Sisulu accepts UFS honorary doctorate with a call to keep learning and lifting others
In recognising her, the university affirms a form of leadership that connects knowledge to real societal change.
On a clear autumn morning on the University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus, a graduation ceremony became something more than just a celebration of qualifications. It became a moment to recognise a life shaped by service.
On 10 April 2026, the university conferred an honorary Doctor of Education degree on Dr Sheila Sisulu, acknowledging her contribution to education, development, and social justice.
In her official welcome, Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Hester C. Klopper contextualised the moment within the purpose of the day.
“We are also honoured to bestow the honorary Doctor of Education degree on Sheila Sisulu in recognition of her distinguished contributions to education, public service, and social development,” she said.
Her remarks connected the honour to the broader role of the university – not only to graduate students, but also to recognise leadership that shapes society beyond institutional boundaries.
Yet, when Dr Sisulu stepped forward, she gently shifted the focus away from herself.
“I’m very honoured – more than honoured,” she said, pausing with a quiet laugh. “When one is honoured, you become shy … you think, really?”
It was a disarming start. Rather than treating the doctorate as a culmination, she spoke about it as a responsibility.
“It is not just a hat and a gown and a hood,” she said. “Now I have to remember that I am part of this distinguished university … I must not embarrass the university. In fact, I must raise its flag.”
In a hall filled with graduates – many of whom had overcome significant challenges to reach this moment – the humility of that reflection carried weight.
Prof Klopper had already acknowledged that journey.
“Many of you are the first in your families to attain a university qualification. That alone is a remarkable achievement, and one that will echo through the generations that follow you,” she told the graduands.
Dr Sisulu built on that recognition, turning her attention directly to them.
“You have worked hard – some of you for a very long time – to be here today,” she said. “But behind you, you have family, your parents, your partners, your friends … they have walked with you.”
Her message echoed the university’s emphasis on graduates as contributors to society. In her address, Prof Klopper reminded students that their education carries purpose beyond personal success.
“Our mission is to create responsible societal futures – and you are the living embodiment of that mission,” she said.
Dr Sisulu’s message to graduates took that idea further, drawing on an image she attributed to former President Nelson Mandela: climbing a mountain.
Reaching the summit, she said, allows you the opportunity to pause and take in the view – but it is not the end.
“You go into the valley and conquer the next mountain.”
For graduates, this moment marks both achievement and continuation. Learning, she reminded them, does not stop with a degree.
“When I graduated, someone said to me, now you are finished with your education,” she recalled. “I said no, I haven’t finished.”
Challenges, in her view, are not barriers, but opportunities.
“If you have a challenge, look at it as an opportunity to learn – and sometimes, to teach.”
Her career reflects that belief. From her work in education to her leadership in global organisations such as the World Food Programme, Dr Sisulu has focused on strengthening systems that respond to inequality and hunger, particularly in vulnerable communities.
In recognising her, the university affirms a form of leadership that connects knowledge to real societal change.
Dr Sisulu closed with a reminder that progress carries responsibility – not only to oneself, but to others.
Quoting Maya Angelou, she said: “As you rise, you have to lift.”
It is a message that lingers beyond the ceremony. For the graduates who sat in that hall, and for the honorary graduate among them, the work continues – shaped by learning, carried by responsibility, and measured by the lives they touch.
©Higher Education Media Services.