Message

Message from Dr Pieter Clase, House Father of House Olympus

I regard myself as privileged to be the head of Olympus residence and to be surrounded by developing intellectuals realising their dreams on their way towards a bright future. The diverse Olympus family manages as a team to strive towards excellence and to achieve in all spheres of university life.

The Faculty of Health Sciences sets high academic standards for its students as a result of the unique and challenging nature of the study programmes offered in this Faculty. The residents of Olympus are therefore special people who take passionate pride in the overriding priority they assign to their academic obligations.

Residents of Olympus are also well-balanced students and regarded as leaders when it comes to participation in activities on the sporting, cultural and, of course, social arenas of the University of Pretoria. The involvement of the Olympians in a large number of activities offered by the University bears testimony of their commitment to be well-rounded students in the true sense of the word.

No students’ residence can succeed without strong leadership and discipline. In this regard Olympus boasts an excellent and devoted house committee that pursues positive values and manages to rope in all its residents to form a united team. The example set by these young men redounds to the honour of the residence and contributes greatly to the brilliant successes chalked up by the residence.

I would also like to acknowledge the contribution made by each resident – from first years to the most senior student – to ensure that Olympus is regarded as a force to be reckoned with at the University of Pretoria. The strength of the residence lies in the residents themselves and the team spirit among them.

As residents of Olympus we are privileged to enjoy the support of Prof Visser and his staff, as well as the groundsmen who work hard to make the residence environment as pleasant as possible for us. They too should receive the recognition they deserve.

My vision for Olympus and all Olympians is a residence where respect for others and self-respect should always remain our focus, where discipline should be maintained and where we should acknowledge one another’s human dignity. Furthermore, it would be to demonstrate by example to parents that Olympus is the best choice of residence for a dedicated student to experience a well-balanced student life to the fullest.