Prof Stander celebrates anniversary
His journey with NWU began in 1979 when he joined as a student, and he has since risen to the position of a highly respected full professor.
VANDERBIJLPARK. – For the past 37 years, Professor Marius Stander has played a significant role in educating master’s students in industrial psychology at NorthWest University (NWU), an accomplishment that fills him with immense pride.
His journey with NWU began in 1979 when he joined as a student, and he has since risen to the position of a highly respected full professor. Professor Stander reflects on his teaching experience, stating: “I started teaching master’s students even before completing my own master’s degree. I found myself instructing individuals much older than me, predominantly human resources executives and senior managers. The average age of my students was about 15 years my senior, which was initially quite intimidating.”
Notably, Professor Stander became the first lecturer at the Vanderbijpark Campus to be honored with a teaching award. His contributions to the School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Management extend to his extensive experience in research, teaching, learning, and community engagement.
His passion lies in developing people, providing mentorship, coaching, and evaluating leadership potential. He expresses gratitude for the opportunities that NWU has provided, saying: “I am honoured to have students who now serve as school directors at various universities, successful entrepreneurs, and accomplished global corporate executives.”
In addition to his teaching and academic roles, Professor Stander has witnessed the growth of the campus from a small institution to its current size.
He played a role in significant events, such as designing the floor plan of a building within the Faculty for Economic and Management Sciences and helping establish the rugby club and the first Black Management Forum (BMF) student chapter.
Beyond academia, Professor Stander boasts a diverse set of accomplishments.
He holds a C2 rating as a researcher with the National Research Foundation, is a lifelong honorary member of the Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology of South Africa, and is a registered industrial psychologist, mentor, and master human resource practitioner with the South African Board for People Practices.
Throughout his career, he has actively engaged with various forums and groups, including serving as a member of the NWU Institutional Forum and an executive committee member of the NWU Convocation.
He began consultancy work in 1985, gaining valuable experience working with universities and corporations, both in South Africa and internationally.
In discussing his future plans, Professor Stander dismisses the idea of retirement, emphasising the importance of finding purpose and joy in one’s work.
He acknowledges that retirement can be daunting and believes that many people, both in South Africa and globally, remain active and sharp in their later years.
In addition to his academic achievements, Professor Stander is a loving and devoted spouse to his wife, Annatjie, whom he met in 1979 at NWU.
Annatjie is currently a lecturer in accounting, and their enduring marriage of four decades has produced two children who are also industrial psychologists, as well as a daughter-in-law specializing in human resource management.
Collectively, the family members have obtained 18 degrees from NWU.
Professor Stander is known as “Marius Networking” and places great importance on building and maintaining relationships. He has formed enduring connections over the years, even with individuals like Rebecca, a cleaning lady he and his wife met at the university 44 years ago, and whom they remain in contact with to this day.
Rebecca, now 90 years old, has had a profound impact on Professor Stander’s life, teaching him valuable life skills and underscoring the significance of nurturing meaningful relationships.
