OLD RHODIAN AWARDS 2005

At a special luncheon on Saturday 27 August 2005, Rhodes University presented its Old Rhodian Awards to three outstanding Rhodes graduates. This coincided with the annual Founders' Weekend.

Michael Chapman (1959)

Michael Chapman is the son of Rhodes University's first Dean of Students, Professor Hugh Chapman. He attended Grey High School in Port Elizabeth before coming to Rhodes in 1959, where he studied for a BA degree. During his time at Rhodes, Michael Chapman was president of the SRC and the senior student of Founders' Hall. After graduating, he went on to Oxford University, where he read Law.
Chapman has worked extensively in the banking industry, where he held senior executive positions with several Canadian banks. He is now retired, and can be found either in his London flat, or at his villa in Provence, France. He visits South Africa frequently.
Chapman was instrumental in setting up the Rhodes University UK Trust, and has chaired the organization since its inception. After his father's death, Chapman established the Chapman Bursary Fund, and every year many children of Old Rhodians benefit from these awards.
The magnificent Hugh Chapman memorial fountain, which is situated in the quad behind the University's main administration block, was both designed and financed by Michael Chapman.

Charles Maisel (1985)

Charles Maisel completed a Bachelor of Social Science degree at Rhodes University, and took his knowledge and expertise to Cape Town, where he pioneered a project working with male domestic violence offenders. It was the first programme of its kind in the Western Cape.
Maisel worked against the common idea that dealing with domestic violence ended with caring for female victims, and worked actively with abusive men.
He then hit on the idea of a saving scheme for women to free them from being financially dependent on their abusers. The 'Five in Six' Project is still operational today, and serves the needs of both urban and rural communities.
Another of Maisel's brilliant initiatives is the 'Men of the Side of the Road' project. Approximately 50,000 unemployed men benefit from skills training, labour advice and a federation for the unemployed. This non-profit organization is three years old.
Maisel is a fellow of Ashoka, an international fellowship for those working as social entrepreneurs. In 2002, he won the United Nations Arab Gulf Fund for Innovation in Job Creation Projects. Two years later, he was awarded the International Echoing Green Fellowship, which recognized his work with the unemployed. In January this year, he was nominated for an international NGO grant from the Skoll Foundation in partnership with Global Giving

Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela (1985)

Ms Msengana-Ndlela is currently the Director-General of the Department of Provincial and Local Government. She obtained a Bachelor of Commerce at Rhodes University, and also received a Higher Education Diploma from the institution. In 2002, she completed a Master of Business Leadership (MBL) through Unisa.
Msengana-Ndlela has worked as a teacher; a research specialist based at Rhodes University, and has occupied a number of positions at both national and provincial government level.
From 1995 to 1997, she was Director of the Department of Education in Bhisho.
In 1998, she changed direction - and moved to head up the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture in Bhisho.
In 2001, she moved provinces and stepped up to the national plate - she became Deputy Director-General of the Department of Trade and Industry in Pretoria.
Earlier this year, Msengana-Ndela received an award from the International Quality and Productivity Centre for 'Best Service Delivery'.

Last Modified: Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:00:38 SAST