Ten students to receive Waikato University scholarships

Ten secondary school students are being awarded nearly $40,000 each to study at the University of Waikato.

The award is part of the Golden Jubilee School Leavers Scholarship, which was established to commemorate the university’s 50th anniversary.

More than 200 students from across New Zealand applied for the scholarship. Applicants had to demonstrate a high level of academic excellence, leadership potential and community citizenship.

University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Roy Crawford, says he was impressed by the number and exceptional quality of applicants, and sees the scholars becoming champions for the university.

“We are seeing a growing number of our graduates making a contribution globally and these students will be no exception.”

The Golden Jubilee School Leaver scholars named so far are: John Bell, Sacred Heart College (Auckland); Samantha Boyle, Whakatane High School; Nicholas Broome, Lindisfarne College (Hastings); Elizabeth Campbell, Rodney College (Wellsford); Tara Fernandez-Ritchie, Sacred Heart Girls’ College (Hamilton); Kelsey Ferris, Whangarei Girls’ High School; Alex Mayer, Hamilton Girls’ High School; Stas Schroder, Hillcrest High School (Hamilton); and Fintan Walsh, John Paul College (Rotorua).

As part of the scholarship, the students will develop leadership skills through a tailored personal development programme and will be encouraged to put these in to practice.

In addition, more than 100 secondary school students have been awarded a Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Award. This flagship scholarship is given to students in recognition of academic excellence and merit in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), or the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), or International Baccalaureate (IB).