The St Andrew’s College Rhodes Scholar-elect for 2020 is Diocesan School for Girls alumna Emma Dreyer.
Dreyer achieved a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy (with Distinction) in 2018 at the University of Cape Town, and is currently completing her community service at Ngwelezana Hospital, a rural hospital near Empangeni in KwaZulu Natal.
She intends to read for two Masters degrees at Oxford, the first an MSc Education (Child Development and Education) and then an MSc Evidence-based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation.
Dreyer was Deputy Head Girl of DSG, Head of Espin House and Vice-Captain of both Netball and Dance. She achieved Academic Honours, Colours for both Athletics and Drama, and Half Colours for Community Engagement and Netball, as well as playing First Team Tennis. In addition, she was a member of the Arts and Culture Committee and achieved Merit in the Advanced foundation RAD Ballet examination.
At the University of Cape Town, she graduated with distinction and was a member of the Golden Key society.
She was involved in SHAWCO (Student Health and Wellness Centres Organisation) throughout her university career, rising to the positions of Paediatrics and SARDA Representative, and on to the position of Head of Occupational Therapy in her final year.
She was a member of the SHAWCO Steering Committee that was awarded the 2018 “UCT Student Team of the Year”, bestowed by the Vice Chancellor of UCT “to a team that showed outstanding performance as well as contributed to the living vision and values of UCT.” This was a singular achievement but, her crowning achievement while at UCT was the foundation of a new clinic for Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Cheshire Homes in Langa, one of the oldest townships in Cape Town. This clinic is still running effectively and sustainably due to the thoughtful and intelligent manner in which it was established.
In a joint statement, Heads of The Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) and St Andrew’s College respectively, Shelley Frayne and Alan Thompson, said, “Dreyer is a young women of clear purpose, and her vision is to use her education at Oxford to improve her insight into effective education and social development strategies. She aspires to have input into the policies and practices that are required to sustainably empower communities and influence the youth of South Africa to reach their full potential.”
