The FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship for Post Graduate International Study is worth R700 000 for one candidate over two years or worth R350 000 for two candidates over one year.
2011 is the 5th year that this prestigious scholarship has been awarded.
This year two exceptional candidates, Nkazimulo Sokhulu and Andrew Paverd, are the beneficiaries of the FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship for Post Graduate International Study, each being awarded R350 000 for one-year post graduate study.
Nkazimulo Sokhulu holds a Business Science in Finance degree from UCT (with distinction) and was a Mandela Rhodes Scholar. He has spent the last 4 years in strategy consulting, working in countries including Kenya, Nigeria, USA and the UK. He will be doing a two year MBA at Columbia University. His long term ambition is to be a senior member in the Ministry of Finance.
Andrew Paverd has a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Wits. He received the Chancellor’s Gold Medal for the most distinguished graduate in natural sciences across all faculties at Wits in 2010. He is currently doing a Masters at UCT and has been accepted to read for a DPhil in Software Engineering at the University of Oxford. His research will focus on the use of cloud computing to enhance the computational capabilities of mobile devices in an effort to bridge the 'digital divide'.
A further R300 000 once off scholarship was awarded to Zoë Lincoln, an Electrical Engineering graduate from UCT who is currently employed at Koeberg Power Station. She will be doing a one year MSc in Sustainable Energy Systems at Edinburgh University. She hopes to use this knowledge to bring electricity to a greater number of rural South Africans and contribute to the sustainability of the South African electricity network.
The Momentum Dippenaar Scholarship to the value of R200 000 was awarded to Leanne Brady, a doctor from Pretoria University who is currently working at the Good Shepherd Eye Clinic in Swaziland, training in scleral tunnel cataract surgery. Her passion is community eye health in the developing world and she will do a one year MSc in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. On returning to South Africa her intention is to use her knowledge to improve public eye health delivery with a focus on eradicating preventable and treatable forms of blindness in South Africa.
The scholarship is based on the following:
• Academic excellence
• Leadership qualities
• Community involvement
• Ability to be a destiny changer
• Preference to be given to applicants under the age of 35
• First time overseas study
• Academic excellence
• Leadership qualities
• Community involvement
• Ability to be a destiny changer
• Preference to be given to applicants under the age of 35
• First time overseas study
We would once again like to thank all South African Universities for promoting this prestigious scholarship among their exceptional post graduate students. This year we received a record number of quality applications. The final adjudication panel was again hugely impressed by the quality of all the applicants and, in particular, the last nine who were invited to be interviewed. Any of the nine could have been a worthy recipient of the award.
“The shortlisted applicants are blessed with the finest intellects I have encountered anywhere. It is an extremely rewarding and humbling experience conducting the interviews. I have learnt that we have phenomenally talented young people in South Africa.” – Laurie Dippenaar, Chairman, FirstRand Limited
Meeting and interviewing the finalists is an inspirational experience. The panel regard themselves as fortunate to be exposed to such amazing talent.
“I am priviledged to be a part of the selection panel that interviewed the shortlisted applicants for the postgraduate scholarship. South Africa needs passionate youngsters like these to expand their skills base and return home to make a difference here.” – Sizwe Nxasana, CEO, FirstRand Limited
Applications for the 2012 FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholarship for International Post-Graduate Study to the value of R350 000 per annum for a maximum of two years will open Monday 2 January 2012 and close Friday 2 March 2012.
The scholarship is available to a South African citizen for post graduate study, who will be studying outside South Africa for the first time, in any discipline at the internationally recognised University of their choice. Excellence is the only criteria for selection.
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