Rhodes University final year LLB student Christopher McConnachie was recently awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for postgraduate studies at Oxford University.
Rhodes University final year LLB student Christopher McConnachie was recently awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for postgraduate studies at Oxford University.
McConnachie submitted in his application in August and was chosen after a lengthy application process which included regional and national interviews.
The scholarship will cover his tuition and living expenses for up to three years as well as expose him to a network of Rhodes Scholars at Oxford. "Rhodes Scholars are people that I have looked up to and to think that I will be a part of this group is quite amazing," McConnachie said.
At Oxford he plans to study towards a one year Bachelor of Civil Law Degree (the equivalent of a Masters degree) and said that he is keen to study human rights law and legal philosophy. "I’m definitely looking forward to the course as Oxford is one of the top universities especially in Law and Legal Philosophy," he said.
For McConnachie winning this scholarship is a dream come true because it has been a dream of his to go to Oxford. This is due to the influence of Eusebius McKaiser, a previous Rhodes Scholar and fellow old Graemian. He said that McKaiser was the first person to tell him about the scholarship and encouraged him to apply for the scholarship.
"This is an amazing opportunity for me to get real skills that I can come back home and use," McConnachie said. "I’m looking forward to experiencing new things, new cultures, societies and the student life. Oxford is an incredible international university where I’ll get to meet incredible people from all over the world," he added.
McConnachie was chosen earlier this year to work as a clerk in the Constitutional Court, a position he will take up in January 2010. He will be working in Chief Justice Pius Langa’s office, after which he will be travelling to Oxford in October.
