Our first bursary student

The Trustees are proud to announce that the very first IIOFF Bursary was awarded in November 2021.

Nasser de Kock is the worthy recipient and was one of the 2021 Grade 12 class. His IIOFF bursary is to study actuarial science at the University of Cape Town, sponsored by Citadel.

“He has done us Proud”

A profile of Nassar de Kock, the first IIOFF Bursary recipient

“To think he came from the gutter, it never stopped him, he has done us proud”, with these emotional and heart rending words Nassar de Kock’s beloved grandmother Galiema Jacobs summed up the first recipient of the Citadel and Old Diocesan Invest in Our Future Foundation (IIOFF) scholarship.

Nassar has just passed his Matriculation with flying colours (six distinctions) and after a rigorous interview process, been accepted for an Actuarial Science degree

De Kock comes from a very close family and is devoted to them. This was one of the many aspects of his character that impressed his interviewers from the IIOFF and Citadel.

Marina Knox, Head of Human Capital at Citadel led the process and says “Nassar is an authentic individual, his integrity shines through even at such a young age, his passion for life and for people and the real care and grounded relationships he shows for his family.”

Mother Nasreen and father Marwaan de Kock take up the story by telling how adversity at home dogged his school career : his brother was stabbed; he lost his grandfather and an uncle at a young age but this never deterred him. “It never held him back from school, he always passed, he excelled” said his mother, her chest bursting with pride.

“My family is my massive motivation”, says Nassar, “whether from doing my school work, working out or on the rugby field. They always remind me where I come from. This is a powerful motivation. It keeps me going”.

Apart from being a gifted scholar, Nassar has also excelled on the sports fields at Bishops. A strong running rugby player with full colours in rugby and athletics as well as half colours in Rowing. He achieved full academic colours too.

He will commence his studies at the University of Cape Town in 2022. We will all watch his progress with interest and pride.