PITTSBURGH – A metal sheet roof caps four walls of cheap, punctured tin. Rust spreads across the visible area like a small sea, and inches are often all that separate one structure from the next. Children and their parents are able to enter their precious few feet of space through crooked plywood doors to sleep on the ground or take shelter from the South African climate – be it rain or scorching sun.
They are the fortunate ones. Others are left to make do with cardboard or nothing at all.
Here, in the slums of Khayelitsha less than 20 miles from Cape Town, one of South Africa’s three capital cities, nearly half a million people are packed on top of one another. There are no streets, electricity, or running water.
Martin Vögel saw it all through the windows of a van almost every day.
“There was a highway we went across on the way to swim practice and they were just on the other side,” he says. “You see them in these terrible conditions, but this is why I have belief in South Africa and our people. Despite them being in these bad conditions, they’ll often be very positive people and still be trying their best to do well.”
Cobbling together whatever materials can be found, games like soccer can sometimes be seen on the outskirts of the slum. When the Pitt swimmer took a laborious job while back home for the summer, many of his coworkers that struggled to support their families were the first to offer a kind word or helping hand – once even starting an impromptu dance by making African beats and encouraging Vögel and others to participate.
“I’ve just always had a compassionate feeling for people that aren’t privileged. I think this something about me that stands out from other people, but I can look at a person’s situation and feel exactly what they’re feeling and understand what they’re going through.”
Vögel’s own family was one of relative privilege compared to many of his countrymen, particularly in his educational opportunities. When his secondary school was abruptly shuttered due to economic instability across the country, he and others took to commuting to the nearest aquatic facility working to draw the interest of collegiate programs in the United States.
Pitt head coach Chuck Knoles and his staff were among them.
“[Vögel] was noticed by us at the University of Pittsburgh as someone who could positively impact our program and who we thought would succeed in our competitive academic environment,” wrote Knoles in his letter of recommendation. “We were correct. From his first days on campus, Martin immersed himself in the culture here producing stellar athletic performances and setting the bar very high for his fellow freshmen in the classroom.”
At the conclusion of his standout freshman season, the finance major hit a setback. He was diagnosed with severe compartment syndrome in both legs. After quietly suffering through it for years, the pain had worsened to an unbearable degree. Surgery and nearly a month out of the water were the result.
He owned the school record in the 200-yard butterfly before his sophomore season was out.
Vögel is willful, determined, and absolutely refuses to surrender his goals. It’s what’s made him a successful student-athlete, and it’s part of what could make him an inaugural Schwarzman Scholar.
A prestigious new addition to the international academics landscape, the Schwarzman Scholar program, backed by Stephen Schwarzman, the CEO of Blackstone – a multinational finance company, will select 100 students from around the globe to study at Beijing’s Tsinghua University to earn a master’s degree in business and economics, public policy, or international relations.
From a pool of 3000 initial applicants, 300 have been chosen to interview with program representatives at four locations around the globe, including New York’s historic Waldorf Astoria hotel where Vögel is headed this week. Later classes will be doubled in size to 200.
“They want to be sure that the initial group of Schwarzman Scholars going in is the best of the best,” said Vögel. “That way we can give the program a good name going forward. The fact they only take the top hundred makes it one of the most selective programs in the world right now.”
Martin Vögel aims to be among them. This is no vacation, however, or simply an opportunity to study in an interesting new place. For Vögel, this is an opportunity to fulfil his life’s calling – and that’s how he’s preparing. He will interview on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and present his strategy for revitalizing the economy of his beloved South Africa in 25 minutes, which he outlined in an essay as part of the application process.
“Poverty is a major issue for South Africa,” wrote Vögel, citing a 26% unemployment rate in his home country. “My suggestion to improve employment is to focus on our entrepreneurs. Supporting them would drive sustainable economic growth and increase the speed of job creation. This would be done through attracting investors to provide the capital for the businesses selected for the program. Entrepreneurs hoping to receive funding will submit their ideas and business models to a selection committee consisting of the most successful and innovative business and government officials. Another possible option to obtain this type of funding would be working through the New Development Bank to set up a fund for entrepreneurs in the BRICS alliance, which would include South Africa.”
The Brazil Russia India China South Africa (BRICS) Alliance, is a collaborative effort of nations considered to have emerging economies in support of one another’s development. China, the host country of the Schwarzman program, is a notable member.
It’s more than coincidence. Vögel hopes to parlay that familiarity into productivity.
“China has had tremendous success reducing poverty and promoting economic growth, and immersing myself in Chinese culture and learning Mandarin would help broaden my ideas in the field of economic development,” wrote Vögel.
By working closely with the Chinese, it may open doors down the road to lure investment and capital to South Africa to create wealth and help eradicate poverty. If the Schwarzman Scholar program grows, there could also be a more direct connection than distant business partners in the future, with the real possibility of having multiple Schwarzman Scholars working on the same global issues at once – a common link that could be vital in finding solutions.
For the coach that offered Vögel a chance at a college education in the United States, urged him on to record swims in the pool, and even consoled him upon the news of Vögel’s hero Nelson Mandela’s passing, the results are more immediate.
“Having one of our student-athletes be selected as a semi-finalist for such a prestigious and forward-thinking scholarship program is very rewarding,” said Knoles. “Martin is, in a word, inspirational.”
After hours of mock interviews, preparations running around the clock, and polishing every angle of his concepts, the Johannesburg native is confident that he can clearly demonstrate why he deserves a place among the chosen few.
“I feel like my goals are going to stand out to the program representatives,” Vögel said. “It’s a lifelong vision of mine. I’ve got concrete steps on how I’m going to achieve this, and I’ve had the personal experience with and know the people know who I’m going to help.”
Swimming news courtesy of Pitt Swimming & Diving.
Wouldn’t hurt a fly
Beautifully written article! You not only get a sense of how martin (more commonly referred to as John-Martens Vogel) is as a swimmer, but also as a gentleman. John-Martens Vogel has always been one of the swiftest in the pool, but will always be the first to shake a competitors hand and tell them what a great swim they had. I have even heard rumors that in practice, this guy will occasionally turn to his teammates and peers and screams, “EEBOK!!!!!!!!” which is afrikaans for something inspirational, which immediately fires up the team for a fantastic set in the pool, or rep in the weight room. He is a true leader and the kind of guy that is always innocent,… Read more »