University of Fort Hare Health Sciences Honours Top Students at 2025 Awards

The University of Fort Hare’s Faculty of Health Sciences honoured its top-performing students of 2025 during a prestigious Finalist Ball and Awards Ceremony held on 27 November 2025 at the Premier Hotel Regent. The event recognized excellence across Nursing, Speech-Language Pathology, and Human Movement Sciences.

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What Happened?

The faculty celebrated the three overall top achievers for 2025:

• Rita Mbopha — Bachelor of Nursing
• Oratilwe Tsotsotso — Bachelor of Speech-Language Pathology
• Emihle Zepe — Bachelor of Human Movement Sciences

The ceremony brought together final-year students, postgraduate graduates, and academic staff to acknowledge academic, clinical, and leadership achievements. Additional awards recognized distinction, clinical excellence, professionalism, practical competence, and perseverance.

Dean Prof Liezel Cilliers praised staff and students for their resilience following the October unrest.

“We continued to teach, learn, and visit clinical sites, all while serving our communities. In doing so, we showed what resilience truly looks like,” she said.

Official Response

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Top Nursing graduate Rita Mbopha said financial pressure motivated her to push for consistency.

She added that support from friends helped her stay disciplined during difficult moments. Mbopha plans to pursue Medicine after community service, with Advanced Midwifery and a Master’s degree as her alternative path.

Top Speech-Language Pathology achiever Oratilwe Tsotsotso credited passion for her success.

“When you love what you do, the hard work doesn’t feel like a chore. The recognition reassures me that I’m on the right path,” she said.

Students said the awards boosted their confidence as they prepare to enter the health sector.

UFH’s Faculty of Health Sciences trains hundreds of professionals who serve clinics and hospitals across the Eastern Cape. The awards emphasized the university’s role in strengthening local healthcare capacity amid ongoing staff shortages.

A key moment of the night was the announcement of the Department of Human Movement Sciences as the 2025 Department of the Year, a recognition of its academic performance and community involvement.