Love, friendship, purpose and lifelong connection. Dominique and Lance’s story reminds us that some of the most important things we take from UWC were never part of the curriculum.

A chance meeting at a bus stop on the way to UWC sparked a lifelong journey for Dominique and Lance Bowers. Today, the couple celebrates love, partnership and academic achievement after graduating with their Master's degrees together in April. Image: Shelley Christians / UWC

Every University of the Western Cape (UWC) graduate remembers moments that changed their life without realising it at the time. Sometimes a lecture sparked a new passion. Sometimes it was a friendship that lasted long after graduation. And sometimes, it all began with a simple conversation.

For Dominique Bowers, it started with one question at a bus stop in Hanover Park.“Do you take this bus?”

When she asked Lance Bowers that question in 2012, neither of them could have imagined where the conversation would lead. A shared journey to the University of the Western Cape soon became a shared journey through life.

The daily commute quickly became the best part of their day. They found themselves sitting together whenever they could, talking about family, ambitions, university life and everything in between. Somewhere between Hanover Park and Bellville, amid the rush hour chaos, friendship quietly grew into something much deeper.

At the time, Lance was studying towards a Bachelor of Education degree, while Dominique worked at UWC’s School of Natural Medicine. They married in 2016, and their connection to the University was far from over.

As Lance continued his academic journey, Dominique enrolled for postgraduate studies of her own. Their home soon filled with textbooks, assignment deadlines and late-night study sessions, each encouraging the other when motivation ran low, and celebrating every milestone together.

Graduation was a family celebration for Dominique and Lance Bowers, whose children joined them to mark the culmination of a remarkable journey of love, learning and determination. Image: Supplied

Their journey was not without its tough times. In 2022, Dominique became seriously ill while studying part-time, just as Lance had begun his Master of Philosophy degree. It was a difficult episode, but they faced the challenges side by side, supported by family, friends, their church community and an unwavering faith that carried them through.

That resilience was rewarded. In 2026, Dominique graduated with a Master of Commerce in Information Systems, while Lance completed his Master of Philosophy. Yet another milestone in a journey they had begun together more than a decade earlier.

Many alumni remember UWC as the place where careers began and ambitions took shape. It is also where lifelong friendships were forged, where mentors changed lives and memories were made between lectures, coffee breaks and the everyday moments that make university life unforgettable. For Dominique and Lance, it became the place where they found each other.

Their story demonstrates that the moments which shape our lives are not always the ones we expect. Sometimes they happen in lecture halls. Sometimes in libraries. Sometimes, while waiting for a bus.

Many people leave UWC with a qualification. Dominique and Lance ended up with something even more enduring: a shared future built on love, learning and the belief that life’s greatest journeys are often the ones you never plan.

@uwconline WHO’S MORE LIKELY TO? UWC COUPLES EDITION ?????? Degrees, deadlines and debates… but who really carries the duo? ???? #UWCGrad2026 #IAmUWC ? original sound - University of the Western Cape