LEANNE JOHANSSON (2002)
Mandela Rhodes Scholar
Matric with distinction and an overall aggregate of 94%; a BA degree from UCT with triple distinctions in
Psychology, Social Anthropology and English; Honours with distinction at UCT plus the Phyllis Reybourn
Award for top student and the EB Tylor Award for the top dissertation; an MSc Degree from Oxford University,
UK, with distinction, and the Kirk-Green Award for top performance and top dissertation; and a Doctoral
degree from Oxford (DPhil) in Social Anthropology: these are Leanne Johansson’s academic qualifications.
@outstanding_oldgirls
She has also won numerous awards, amongst them a full scholarship to Oxford University, the Goldman-Sachs Global Leadership
Award in 2005, which is awarded to 100 students internationally for superior academic performance and leadership potential;
and, in 2007, the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship which is awarded to 20 African students for proven leadership potential and
commitment to the values embodied by Nelson Mandela.
DR CHRISTINA SMITH
(BLOM) 2003
Astrophysicist
As the world’s responses to the death of Nelson Mandela were pouring in at
the end of last year, Leanne posted the following: Tata Madiba, rest in
peace. Thank you for your life, your love, your wisdom. I’ll never forget the
day I met you and you told me that there is no such thing as too much
education because education changes the world. May our generation and
those that come after carry your spirit forward and never forget to practice
all that you stood for.
In 2011, Leanne travelled from Sinai, Egypt to Cape Town, on public
transport, visiting transplant units in hospitals mainly in East Africa. The aim
of the trip was two-fold: to document the experiences of African transplant
recipients, and to raise money to sponsor an Ethiopian team in the World
Transplant Games which too