Accolades for alumni in the Big Apple
- By Deborah Minors
NEW YORK: The University of the Witwatersrand Fund, Inc. (Wits Fund) hosted a Dinner in New York City on Tuesday May 8, 2012. Held in the beautiful University Club building on Fifth Avenue, the event celebrated Wits' 90th anniversary and honored the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Loyiso Nongxa. In addition, four distinguished alumni were honored:
- John Chalsty, (BSc 1953, BSc Hons 1954, MSc 1955, honorary DCom 2005) Chairman, USA Advisory Board, The Mandela Institute
- The Honorable Margaret Marshall (BA 1967, honorary LLD 2000), former Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
- Denise Scott Brown (honorary DArch 2011), eminent architect, planner and educator
- David Schneider (LLB 1957) Vice Chairman of Wits Fund and former senior executive of The Coca-Cola Company.
The Vice-Chancellor also awarded the University’s Gold Medal to David Schneider. The University bestows the Gold Medal to honor persons of outstanding distinction who have been important to the life of the University.
The Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening was senior Sotheby’s executive, Jennifer Roth (BA 1974).
Bill Newton, Wits Fund’s Executive Director said: “A social and financial success, this fund-raising event benefitted from the very generous gifts of corporate and individual donors and because a wide range of alumni and donors were determined to add their support.”
Wits Fund works to sustain the University’s globally competitive standards of excellence in learning, teaching and research. Initiatives at the University that the Wits Fund has supported include Wits School of Law, School of Public Health, The Mandela Institute, scholarships, the Wits Art Galleries and the Wits Libraries.
View all images here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/witsalumni/sets/72157629677394014/
All images courtesy Jeffrey Vock Photography