The Gardiner Dairy Foundation is delighted to announce that four Tertiary Scholarships have been awarded to students undertaking study in 2017.
The Gardiner Dairy Foundation strongly supports higher education, and through the Tertiary Scholarships program, provides assistance to young people living in dairy communities, to generate ongoing benefits that contribute to the future prosperity of the industry.
A high number of applicants were received for the 2017 Tertiary Scholarships program, and from the pool of excellent candidates, the Gardiner Dairy Foundation selected Eliza Osborn from Tinamba, as one of four recipients. Each scholar will receive a $10,000 contribution annually towards funding the costs of their selected university degree or TAFE course.
The Gardiner Dairy Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Mary Harney, said that the success of the dairy industry is reliant on the success of the communities in which it operates.
“Dairy communities cannot exist without a number of fundamental services and the Gardiner Dairy Foundation’s Tertiary Scholarships program strives to ensure students are trained in these fields.
“Availability of community services may be limited for those living in rural and regional locations. By providing young people, who are likely to return to dairy communities, with assistance to achieve a tertiary education, the Gardiner Dairy Foundation plays a significant role in building strong and vibrant dairy communities,” said Ms Harney.
Eliza Osborn from Tinamba is studying a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Master of Physiotherapy Practice at La Trobe University, Bundoora and looks forward to being able to give back to the community she grew up in.
“Tertiary education options in my local community of Gippsland are limited but I knew I wanted to undertake studies that would benefit my community.
“This Tertiary Scholarship, that I am so lucky to be a recipient of, will allow me to follow my dream of securing a position in a local health practice and to provide services to those living in rural locations,” said Eliza Osborn.
Applications for the Tertiary Scholarships program opened in September 2016 and through a thorough selection process, four worthy candidates were selected, which also included Hannah Thorson of Meeniyan, Matthew Roache of Woolsthorpe and Julia Twigg of Tandarra.
A number of factors were considered when assessing the most suitable recipients for the Tertiary Scholarships, including career aspirations and goals, local community involvement, personal accomplishments and the contribution that the individual’s chosen career will provide to the industry.