The end of a (Rykie) era

[Article by Marenet]

As friends and family of 26 Crozier Street know, you may “check-out any time you want, but you can never leave”. This is the case for more than forty years’ worth of honours students – and for the 18 Rykie van Reenen fellows who did duty in the Department of Journalism over the past two decades.

It is therefore with a touch of sadness, but lots of wonderful memories, that we announce the end of the Rykie Fellowship as part of the staffing arrangements at the Department of Journalism.

Until this year, a journalist from Media24 was seconded to our Department for a year or two to teach journalism practice to the honours students. Prof George Claassen, former chair of the department, instituted this fellowship in 1998 with the support of the then executive chair of Naspers, Mr Ton Vosloo. These journalists brought fresh ideas and skills to the department and made sure that our students had close contact with other working journalists and the broader media industry. The fellowship was named after Rykie van Reenen, a formidable and ground-breaking Afrikaans journalist who paved the way for female journalists in the industry.

In closing the Rykie Fellowship chapter, our department is by no means putting an end to our engagement with Media24 or other media houses. We are excited about the new opportunities for engagement that lies ahead and for the continued input by industry experts.

On a practical level, the Journalism Practice lecturer position will now be advertised annually as a contract position within the Department.

We want to thank Media24, Prof Claassen, Mr Vosloo – and all the Rykie’s (listed below) for the immense contribution this fellowship has made to the teaching and learning experience in our department. You will forever be part of 26 Crozier Street – and our ever-growing photo gallery.

The BAHons Journalism class of 2021 with a few staff members, Mr Ton Vosloo (front, second from right) and some of the Rykie fellows

Rykie van Reenen Fellows