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Students awarded Mandela Rhodes Scholarship

28 October 2009

Back: Monash Vice-Chancellor Professor Ed Byrne, Pamela Motlhageng and MSA Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Tyrone Pretorius. Front: Petunia Mpoza, Monash Deputy Chancellor Paul Ramler and Krishna Khetia
Back: Monash Vice-Chancellor Professor Ed Byrne, Pamela Motlhageng and MSA Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Tyrone Pretorius. Front: Petunia Mpoza, Monash Deputy Chancellor Paul Ramler and Krishna Khetia

Three Monash South Africa students have been awarded the prestigious Mandela Rhodes Scholarships for 2010.

The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship honours the legacy of leadership and reconciliation embodied by Nelson Mandela, and the legacy of education and entrepreneurship of Cecil John Rhodes.

This year 30 Mandela Rhodes Scholarships were awarded to students from across Africa with scholastic, intellectual and leadership potential. The scholarships will allow the students to study towards a postgraduate degree program at a South African tertiary institution.

Final-year arts student Krishna Khetia said the scholarship would provide her with a great new opportunity to be exposed to "amazing people, to share experiences and to learn from them".

Bachelor of Business and Commerce student Pamela Motlhageng agreed saying she believed her views of the world would be challenged and expanded.

"Not only is it a great honour, it will also provide us all, as youth leaders, with a platform to make a difference," she said.

Pamela will put her scholarship towards an honours degree at Monash South Africa and in the future hopes to focus on improving financial literacy and investment in Africa.

Arts student Petunia Mpoza will undertake an honours degree in international relations and continue studying towards a PhD.

"I believe that achieving academic excellence gives credibility, which can then be used to make a difference in one's chosen field," she said.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash South Africa Professor Tyrone Pretorius said he was proud to have three MSA students receive the prestigious scholarship, particularly as it was a relatively small campus.

Monash Deputy Chancellor Paul Ramler said the students' success was "a great achievement for all at this campus in a relatively short space of time".

The recipients of the Mandela Rhodes scholarships receive in-residence leadership and mentoring programs as part of their scholarship.