Rising Stars receive awards

Finding out how effective hotel websites are for marketing is the aim of Natalie Smith’s Honours research, which she will now be able to complete with the help of a $5000 business scholarship.

Natalie is completing her Honours year in the Bachelor of Business in Hotel and Resort Management at Southern Cross University’s Coffs Harbour campus and has been awarded the Telstra Countrywide Business Honours Scholarship.

She is one of more than 20 Coffs Harbour students who will receive new and continuing scholarships and prizes at a ceremony on Tuesday (February 17).

“I have wanted to do Honours since I started my course. The scholarship is a bit of a relief and will definitely help out,” Natalie said.

Natalie, who moved to Coffs Harbour from Sydney to complete her degree, is no stranger to awards. In 2006 she received a NSW Student Achievement Award in Tourism and last year was awarded a Coffs Harbour Rotary Club prize.

“My Honours project will be looking at the design effectiveness of websites as an advertising mechanism for hotels. The use of internet has taken off right through the hospitality industry, especially for online bookings, and I was really interested to look at how effective the websites are,” she said.

Natalie is one of more than 100 recipients of scholarships being given to both new and continuing students at Southern Cross University this year, at its three locations in Lismore, Coffs Harbour and the Tweed and Gold Coast region.

There are Vice-Chancellor’s scholarships, awarded solely on academic merit, and business and industry scholarships, awarded by local businesses, government organisations and community groups, as well as scholarships sponsored by individual philanthropists.

There are now 23 donors in the scholarships program, being called the Rising Stars Scholarships Program. Many donors have been supporting the University’s scholarship program for a number of years.

The scholarship presentation ceremonies will be held at all campuses. Media are welcome to attend.


Coffs Harbour:
Tuesday, February 17, at 2.30 pm, at the Osprey Function Centre, Coffs Harbour campus, Hogbin Drive.

This will be a combined scholarship and prize-giving ceremony. There will be 15 scholarships awarded, 9 of which are new scholarships, including five Honours scholarships.

Lismore:
Wednesday, February 18, at 10.30am, at the Invercauld House Conference and Function Centre, Invercauld Rd, Goonellabah.

There will be 57 scholarships awarded, 28 of which are new scholarships, including six Honours scholarships.

Tweed and Gold Coast:
Thursday, February 19, at 11am, at the Tweed Heads Civic Centre, Brett Street, Tweed Heads.

There will be 14 scholarships awarded, 10 of which are new scholarships.

Photo: Natalie Smith will be awarded the Telstra Countrywide Business Honours Scholarship at the Coffs Harbour campus tomorrow.