100 Mandela Rhodes Scholars for Nelson Mandela's 100th Birthday
The Rhodes Trust is delighted to welcome Dr Elizabeth Kiss as its new CEO and Warden of Rhodes House. Dr Kiss is herself a Rhodes Scholar and will be the first female Warden of Rhodes House.
Guests described the events as magical and tremendously uplifting and inspiring. The centenary milestone also marks the fulfilment of a personal commitment made to Mr Mandela by MRF Founding Chair, the late Professor Jakes Gerwel, and Founding Executive Director Shaun Johnson, when the Scholarships Programme was launched. That commitment was that the new Foundation would have achieved a scale whereby it was a living testament of the vision that Mr Mandela had of providing education and exceptional leadership development opportunities to aspirational young leaders from across the continent.
The celebrations kicked off with a cocktail reception on 13 July, during which the inaugural Alumni magazine, Young African, was launched. It was unveiled by MRF centenary Project Lead Judy Sikuza (Mandela Rhodes Scholar SA & NMMU 2007) and Coralie Valentyn (SA & UWC 2014), Founding Editor-in-Chief and Editor respectively. Young African was inspired by a desire to connect meaningfully with those in and outside the Mandela Rhodes community. It is a mouthpiece from which to hear what is emerging from the continent, giving credence to the ingenuity and potential that is Africa.