Kerry Porrill and Dr Nandipa Mponda from Stellenbosch University will swap the Eikestad for Oxford next year when they join a global cohort of more than 100 Rhodes Scholars from around the world at one of the world’s oldest universities. 

With a vision of fostering a “globally inclusive and thoughtful community of leaders”, the Rhodes Scholarship is the world's preeminent and oldest graduate fellowship, based at the University of Oxford since 1903. Since inception, almost 1 000 outstanding graduates from universities in Southern Africa have been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to further their studies at the world’s leading university. 

Porrill, who attended Cannons Creek High School in Cape Town, is a BSc Honours student. She was recently awarded the Rector’s Award for Academic Excellence for achieving one of the highest averages of the BSc graduates of 2024. Passionate about mathematics, she has participated in many mathematics competitions, including the International Mathematics Olympiad while she was still in high school. 

Since matriculating, Porrill has been involved in training and leading South African teams. She has organised several training camps for girls interested in maths olympiads, and this year she led South Africa’s first team to participate in the European Girls Mathematics Olympiad.

She also co-authored a paper that was recently published in the Journal of Algebra and its Application, based on an internship at the end of her second year. 

Porrill, who plans on pursuing a DPhil in mathematics at Oxford, says receiving the prestigious scholarship is an honour. “It’s such a great opportunity to get to study at such a renowned university. I plan on going into academia, so I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to learn from and connect with the mathematicians at Oxford. I’m so grateful for all the support from friends, family and lecturers along the way.”

Dr Mponda, who grew up in Cape Town and matriculated from Herschel Girls’ School in 2017 as head girl, is currently completing her internship as a junior doctor in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape. 

She earned her MBChB from SU in 2023 and held leadership roles in student organisations focused on health advocacy, global health, and medical education, including Professional Exchange Director of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Association, and Secretary of the Global Health Students Network. 

She co-authored a paper accepted for publication in the South African Medical Journal on the usability of electronic health records in a public healthcare facility, exploring digital innovations to strengthen healthcare service delivery. 

Mponda received numerous academic awards during her studies, including the Excel Award, the Senior Merit Award, and the Public Health Enhancement Fund Scholarship. 

At Oxford, she intends to pursue an MSc in international health and tropical medicine, followed by an MBA, furthering her commitment to advancing equitable and financially sustainable healthcare reform in South Africa. "I’m incredibly excited to have the opportunity to study at Oxford and become part of the Rhodes scholar community. Throughout this process, I've been in awe of how generously people have supported me. I’m eager to make the most of this experience and pursue my goal of contributing meaningfully to healthcare reform. I look forward to the future and seeing where this journey leads," she says. 

The Rhodes Trust describes its scholarship selection process as "demanding and rigorous". Applicants submit a lengthy online application, undergo a thorough review for shortlisting by committees across Southern Africa and, if shortlisted, are interviewed by regional selection committees comprising renowned experts and leaders in diverse fields.

This year, 57 candidates were shortlisted for regional interviews in October. “The Rhodes Scholarship selections never get easier,” says Beverley Johnson, Regional Manager: Rhodes Scholarships for Southern Africa. “Each year we receive so many applications from such talented, outstanding, high potential individuals from across the regions and academic disciplines. The shortlisting process is intense and interviews are challenging. Tough choices have to be made by the national selection committee, as only 10 scholarships can be awarded each year.”

Commenting on this year’s awards, Ndumiso Luthuli, National Secretary of the Rhodes Trust for Southern Africa, said: “The Rhodes selection process aims to identify young people with proven academic excellence who also show exceptional character and grit, the courage to lead and make a difference in the broader community, the energy to use their talents to the full, and a commitment to solving humanity’s challenges. We believe that Nandi and Kerry personify these core selection criteria.”