By: Mo Senne (Senior Communications Officer)
As the colourful robes of the graduates fill the 1820 Settlers National Monument, a quiet but profound milestone is being reached behind the scenes. For the Gillam family, this graduation marks the moment a dream—built one monthly salary deduction at a time—becomes a reality. This milestone is the result of a lifetime of dedication: it is built upon John Gillam’s 30-year career starting and building Postgraduate Funding at Rhodes University, and a personal commitment that began at the Centenary celebrations when the family bought 2x pavers in front of the Admin building, and both John and Janette Gillam pledged monthly sums via salary deductions toward the establishment of the fund.
With the Del and Doreen Gillam Postgraduate Award fund now approaching R100 000, the inaugural prizes are finally being actioned for the next generation of scholars. It celebrates a family legacy that has quietly contributed to the various facets of Rhodes University and the Makhanda community for a combined total of 91 years.
The First Generation: Innovation and Compassion
The story began in January 1971, when Del Gillam gave up the corporate world to utilise his electronic design talents in academia. Serving as an electronic technician until 1991, Del became a vital asset during a time when research projects required specialised equipment imported at immense costs, way above University budgets. Because of the international 1970's Boycott Action against South Africa at the time, Del developed much of the required equipment at a fraction of the cost. His support reached across the campus, from the Antarctic Research Team to the Tick Research Unit, and departments including Zoology, Geology, Computer Science, and Ichthyology.
In 1975, Doreen Gillam joined the Anthropology Department as secretary. She is remembered for her "eagerness to help spread beyond the Department to areas such as ISER (Prof Mtuze), as well as GADRA (Mrs Thelma Henderson), and the Rhodes Women’s Staff Association and Black Sash", John Gillam noted. Working for Professors Mike Whisson, Chris De Wet, and Robin Palmer, she provided immense caring support until her demise at 55.
Three Generations of Service
The Gillam family represents three generations of dedicated service to the University’s Academic, Research, and Community Engagement pillars.
- Second Generation: Their son, John Gillam, joined Rhodes in 1993, foregoing a Geology and Teaching career to join Financial Aid. He worked under Dr Moosa Motara and later under Professor Peter Clayton, growing Postgraduate Funding until his retirement in 2022. His wife, Janette Gillam, joined in 1997, focusing on postgraduate registrations and ultimately their graduations.
- Third Generation: Their daughter, Katherine, is a Rhodes alumna and a full-time teacher at Victoria Girls’ High School; however, she maintains a strong link to the university, having supported the Education Department in a part-time capacity as the History lecturer for the PGCE course. Her husband, Joshua Van Staden, is a Computer Science lecturer currently reading for his PhD while being actively involved in the Khanya Mathematics Outreach project.
The 2026 Milestone: From Pavers to Prizes
John notes that during the Rhodes Centenary celebrations, the family "heeded the VC's call for student funding by purchasing two pavers and pledging monthly contributions through salary deductions.” Just over 20 years later, these small contributions have built a fund that allows the first awards to be actioned.
“Initially, the funds are regarded as small prizes to be paid into a student's fee account to cover sundry costs currently valued at R1 800 per student, but as the fund grows in value, it is envisaged to assist with tuition fees,” John explained. Once the fund has grown, the funds should be used to pay for research equipment, such as PCs and books.
To honour the departments where Del and Doreen served, the 2026 inaugural awards are designated as follows:
- In Anthropology, the award recognises the top Honours student entering a full-time Master’s program. Should no student be eligible in a given year, the funds remain in the investment account to further the fund’s growth.
- In Physics, the award is presented to the top Honours graduate entering a full-time Master’s degree, with a preference for those whose research includes an electronics component—a nod to Del’s technical expertise. If the top student does not share this specific interest, the award may be granted to the next eligible student specialising in electronics; otherwise, it is awarded to the top overall Physics Master's entrant.
For the three generations of the Gillam family, this graduation is the realisation of a lifelong devotion to the University. “It has been an absolute privilege and a blessing to have shared part of Rhodes’ history since 1971,” John concluded.