Students as Partners in Building WSU: Institutional Advancement Engages SRC on Fundraising and Reputation

Walter Sisulu University’s Director for Institutional Advancement, Sithembele James, recently led a candid engagement with the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC), underscoring the critical role of student leadership in fundraising, reputation-building, and the university’s long-term sustainability.

Hosted at the Phyllis Ntantala Collaborative Library, the session—titled “Students as Partners in Building WSU: Fundraising, Reputation and the Future of Our University”—created a reflective space for open dialogue on how students can meaningfully contribute to the institution’s growth and public standing.

“Through this workshop, we seek to build the SRC’s understanding of WSU’s fundraising and resource mobilisation efforts; position student leadership as strategic partners in building the university; create shared ownership of WSU’s future; and reflect honestly on reputation, activism, stability, and impact,” said James.

Central to the discussions was the need to deepen the SRC’s appreciation of the university’s resource mobilisation strategies, while encouraging student leaders to move beyond critique and actively participate in solution-driven leadership that strengthens institutional credibility and trust.

The engagement was structured into four thematic sessions-each addressing key challenges and opportunities in governance, sustainability, and coordinated fundraising.

“Resource mobilisation must be properly governed and harmonised through the Institutional Advancement office,” James emphasised.

“It’s critical that all fundraising activities are coordinated to avoid duplication and ensure that stakeholders are aligned in how resources are mobilised,” he added.

Institutional SRC Secretary General Lerato Malikane welcomed the day’s proceedings, calling them “crucial” to the collectives’ efforts to make a meaningful impact on student development through resource mobilization.

Malikane said: “There are many strategic ways through which the university can build its reputation – the hosting of events on campus to showcase our facilities and active participation by our academics in providing scientific and evidence-based opinions on societal challenges to bolster our standing in society.”

Student Governance and Leadership Development (SGLD) Deputy-Director, Ntsiki Nohako-Mtiki, heaped praise on James for his willingness and foresight to provide a platform for strategic conversations on resource mobilization with student leadership.

Nohako-Mtiki noted that it was the first time such a platform had been established for such deliberations – an important moment, considering the many proposals SGLD, and indeed the broader student affairs directorate, receives from companies and individuals seeking to partner with the university on fundraising and resource mobilization efforts.

“I especially want to highlight the issue of food security and what interventions we can explore to bring about a sustainable food security programme for some of our most needy students. Hunger is a true reality within the university – what can the Institutional Advancement office do to help us combat this challenge?” she enquired.

In conclusion, Nohako-Mtiki acknowledged the great strides made by student leadership across the board in fighting the scourge of hunger, periodically making food parcels available to the neediest, amounting to millions of rands over the last few years.

By Thando Cezula