Bronwyn Tarr has been selected as the St Andrew’s College Rhodes Scholar-Elect to go to Oxford University in October 2009. Her intellectual brilliance and wide-ranging engagement with the world around really impressed the selection committee and she strongly fulfils the criteria for leadership, community involvement, physical vigour and force of character.
The Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University is awarded annually to ten South Africans. This worldwide scheme of scholarships, established after the death of Cecil Rhodes in 1902, demands academic excellence in combination with leadership, community involvement, and participation in sport. The pupils of St Andrew’s College and the Diocesan School for Girls are eligible for the St Andrew’s Rhodes Scholarship, one of four linked to a school in South Africa.
Bronwyn matriculated in 2003 at the Diocesan School for Girls, in Grahamstown, with a high A aggregate. She was awarded the coveted En Avant prize for outstanding contribution to the school; personal endeavour and excellence and she has led an active and successful school career. She has an impressive academic record, having graduated with distinction from the University of Cape Town with a BSC degree majoring in Biodiversity, Evolutionary Biology and Ecology. Bronwyn is currently a Mandela Rhodes Scholar and says that this year has been fundamental in shaping her vision. She is in the process of completing her BSc Honours in Zoology, and rather than performing two specialized Honours dissertations within the department of Zoology, she has been accepted to take part in a field based course through the Organisation of Tropical Studies (OTS) in the Kruger National Park. Bronwyn and feels deeply committed to making a difference in the world. She has several academic achievements, and has received the Dean’s Merit List in the Zoology Faculty 2005 - 2007, the Fuller Hall Academic Award, the Science Faculty Academic Scholarship in 2006 and the Zoological Society of Southern Africa for best final year student in Zoology 2007.
She is also involved in cultural activities having studied ballet and music throughout her school and university career and has performed with the UCT Ballet School amongst others. Bronwyn’s community and leadership involvement has been extensive as she has aligned herself with many projects, some of which include: the SHAWCO Arts Project, SHAWCO Eyethu Wetlands Committee, Stone Dragon Educational Programme and the UCT Recycling Initiative.
Bronwyn intends to study further in the field of environmental change and management while at Oxford. In addition, she will participate in debating, and in jazz and ballet classes offered by the Dance Society. She is greatly excited by the prospect of immersing herself in the stimulating and varied cultural life at Oxford.
“Bronwyn impressed the selection committee by the ways in which she lives out the exacting demands of the Rhodes Scholarship, whose criteria demand a combination of academic excellence, leadership, social involvement and sport” said Dr Tim Nuttall, Deputy Headmaster and Secretary of the St Andrew’s selection committee. “It is both a privilege and a great responsibility for St Andrew’s College to administer an annual scholarship to Oxford, one of the world’s leading universities.”
“There are so many people who have helped me get to this point and achieve this wonderful honour - including the teachers at DSG/St Andrew’s College, my lecturers at UCT and the staff and scholars at the Mandela Rhodes Foundation. I am extremely grateful and excited for this wonderful opportunity to study at Oxford. Thank You so much!” said Scholar Elect.
