This Women's Month, we're celebrating the academic staff at Stellenbosch 肆客足球 (SU) who are shaping minds and inspiring excellence through their teaching. These remarkable educators bring passion, innovation and dedication to the classroom, helping students thrive and succeed. Their stories reflect the impact of women at the heart of SU's academic community.
Prof Debra Shepherd is an associate professor in the Department of Economics and a senior researcher with the Research on Socio-Economic Policy (ReSEP) group. An experienced lecturer at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, Shepherd holds an SU Teaching Fellowship and has been recognised with several awards, including an SU Excellence in Teaching Award and the Chancellor's Award for Teaching. Shepherd regularly contributes to leadership and service roles within SU, such as the Ubuntu Learning Community short course that provides incarcerated individuals at the Brandvlei Correctional Centre the opportunity to learn alongside SU students.
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
While my formal academic journey began in 2013, it actually started years earlier when I first tutored undergraduates in smaller lecture rooms. Those early sessions made me realise how much I love making economics accessible, especially to students who doubt their abilities. It's interesting, then, that large first-year microeconomics classes are where I feel I have truly made my mark. I think this is because I wanted to translate that small-group tutorial experience into larger classrooms. One might not think it possible but teaching a diverse cohort of roughly 400 students every year has deepened my belief that good teaching is about more than delivering content; it's about connection, recognition, and creating a space where students feel seen and supported.
Did any teachers, mentors, or role models leave a lasting impression on you?
My first-year statistics lecturer, Prof Sarel Steel, stands out. For knowing my name, recognising my potential, and making me feel seen in a crowded lecture hall. That experience taught me the power of recognition in learning, and I've carried it into every classroom I've entered. Mentors like Prof Steel showed me that teaching is as much (perhaps more!) about relationship-building as it is about content delivery.
Is there a particular aspect of your course or subject area that you especially enjoy teaching?
As a social science, economics is full of contradictions and tension. It is often presented as a precise and objective discipline, yet it is deeply embedded in complex human realities. For example, economics tends to prioritise efficiency, equilibrium, and rational behaviour, but real-world economies are shaped by inequality, power dynamics, historical legacies, and social norms. When teaching economic theory to students, I like to remind them that it is dynamic and contested. I enjoy pushing students to think critically about the real-world implications of economic decisions, particularly in a country like South Africa.
What does it mean to you to be a woman in academia today?
I think that the way I teach and lead – with empathy, care, and emotional attentiveness – challenges dominant expectations and helps redefine what academic value looks like. These traits tend to be gendered in how they are perceived and valued in academia, even though they are fundamentally human. I want people who come after me to feel less pressure to prove themselves and more freedom to be themselves.
What is the biggest reward of being a lecturer at SU?
Witnessing students grow academically, personally, and socially. Seeing them move from uncertainty to confidence, especially in a subject as demanding as economics, is truly fulfilling. Each cohort of students brings new perspectives and challenges, pushing me to stay engaged and continually refine my approach. What inspires me most is knowing that education can be a catalyst for broader societal change. Being part of a student's journey – particularly in a country facing deep inequalities – feels like meaningful work.
What advice would you give to younger women entering the teaching profession today?
You may not always feel like you belong, especially if your strengths aren't recognised by dominant norms. But don't confuse their failure to see you with absence of worth. You belong, because you are building what doesn't yet exist.
PHOTO: Stefan Els
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