Hanging With Queen O

The great Oprah Winfrey had read one of my Times columns. So she told a mutual friend, John Samuel, how much she was moved by the article. John said to her: ‘Why don’t you tell him yourself?’ And that was the start of a journey to bring the famous philanthropist to the University of the Free State for an honorary doctorate in her name. In about half-a-dozen meetings with Ms. Winfrey, I found her to be sincere, generous and deeply devoted to the education of girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. Most rich people give money and disappear. She sees through every graduate of OWLAG, her Johannesburg school, through university studies anywhere in the world. The last time I visited my alma mater, Stanford University, Ms. Winfrey was checking in on one of the South African students in her dorm. That is what I call commitment.