Nelson Mandela receives Honorary Fellowship

Nelson Mandela visited Magdalene College today, Wednesday 2 May 2001, where he was made an Honorary Fellow. The former President of South Africa received his Fellowship at a special admissions ceremony held in the College's historic chapel.

After the ceremony, Mr Mandela met members of the College, including the three current Magdalene Mandela Scholars. The Mandela Scholarships were set up by a Magdalene graduate, and South African businessman, Chris von Christierson in 1995. They exist to enable outstanding graduate students from South Africa, who would not otherwise be able to do so, to come and study at Cambridge.

The Master of Magdalene College, Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS is delighted to have welcomed Mr Mandela as a Fellow of Magdalene: "We share his view that the best and brightest achievers can come from any background. As the child of farmworkers who rose to become President of his nation, Mr Mandela epitomises this. And so we continue striving to attract the most able students, regardless of where they come from, with the aim of helping them develop their potential to become future achievers."

Further information
For further information about Magdalene College go to:
www.magd.cam.ac.uk
For further information about the Magdalene Mandela Scholarships, look at the Graduate Studies Prospectus:
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/gsprospectus/c7/overseas/s af.html