Rising Stars Scholarships Program 2010

This year’s 39 deserving winners of a Rising Stars Scholarship will be announced at ceremonies at the Coffs Harbour, Lismore and the new Gold Coast campuses this week.

In addition, 56 continuing students who have won scholarships in previous years will receive ongoing cash awards.

Many of the new scholarship recipients have received three-year scholarships valued at up to $15,000. Other scholarships range from $1,000 per year for one-to-three years. There will be seven Honours scholarships awarded as well as six Vice Chancellor’s scholarships for high school leavers – given for their high academic achievement.

Coffs Harbour area students Alec Shaw and Justin Gaetano are two of the recipients who will receive their scholarships tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16, at a function at the Coffs Harbour campus.

Alec has won a $15,000 Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship to study a Bachelor of Information Technology. He studied at Orara High School. Justin has won a $1,000 Opem Psychology Honours Scholarship.

Southern Cross University Vice-Chancellor’s scholarships provide financial support to six new students each year who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement. They receive a scholarship valued at $5,000 per year for the duration of their course.

Among those selected this year are Zoe Goodsell-Dundas, formerly of St John’s College Woodlawn, who is studying a Bachelor of Business and Matthew Newell, formerly of Alstonville High School, who is studying a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws.

As a founding sponsor of the Rising Stars Scholarship Program, Summerland Credit Union supports a new scholarship each year, as do many other local businesses, councils and individuals.

This year’s Summerland Credit Union Scholarship recipient is Frederick Duden, formerly of Kyogle High School. He will be studying a Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Laws.

Along with the other Lismore campus recipients, Frederick will be receiving his scholarship at a ceremony at Invercauld House, Goonellabah, on Wednesday, February 17.

One of the two $15,000 three-year Environmental Analysis Laboratory scholarships, for students studying a Bachelor of Environmental Science at the Lismore campus, went to Jackie Gatland, formerly of Norfolk Island Central School. The second recipient is Joel Kelly, formerly of Melville High School, in Kempsey.

Ballina Shire Council is supporting its first ever scholarship. The $15,000 three-year scholarship has been awarded to Sharnie Flanagan-Boyd, formerly of Ballina High School, who is studying a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws.

The annual $15,000 three-year Telstra Countrywide Indigenous Undergraduate Scholarship has been awarded to Allysha Le Page, formerly of Lismore High School. Allysha will be studying a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).

Telstra has been an ongoing supporter of the Rising Stars Scholarship Program and this scholarship follows on from several undergraduate and Honours scholarships they have offered in the past.

Tweed and Gold Coast campus scholarship recipients will receive their awards at a ceremony at the new Gold Coast campus on Thursday, February 18.

Students from St Joseph’s College at Banora Point have received four out of the five Tweed Shire Council scholarships.These scholarships are awarded to high achieving HSC graduates from the Tweed Shire who have also shown a commitment to their community.

The recipients are Ashleigh Dunemann, Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science/Bachelor of Education; Stephanie Mai, Bachelor of Contemporary Music/Bachelor of Education; Stevie Peace, Bachelor of Education (Primary); and Kodie Buckley Dunn, Bachelor of Nursing.

The fifth recipient of a Tweed Shire Council scholarship is Lucinda Falls, formerly of Kingscliff High School, who is studying a Bachelor of Social Science.

The Mick Young Scholarship Trust encourages students who have received a scholarship from them in previous years to apply again. They have re-awarded a scholarship to last year’s successful winner, Jeffrey Thomas, who is studying a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).

Other Tweed Gold Coast area recipients of Mick Young Scholarship Trust scholarships are Mary Insch, receiving $2,000, studying a Bachelor of Business in Convention and Event Management; and Cheryl Dawes, receiving $2,000, studying a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).

Local philanthropist George Lewin funds scholarships annually for students embarking on an Honours research project which has demonstrated community value. This year he is funding two interesting research projects by students from the Lismore area.

Esther Jones is studying a Bachelor of Clinical Science. She is looking at the effects of caffeinated drinks on student memory and motor performance.

Jason De Weys is studying a Bachelor of Environmental Science. He is looking at resolving the contribution of ground water as a source of nutrients, acidity and anoxia leading to fish kills in the Richmond River Estuary.

Scholarship ceremony details

Coffs Harbour
Tuesday, February 16, at 11am, at the Osprey Function Centre, Coffs Harbor campus, Hogbin Drive. This is also the prize giving ceremony for students who performed well in 2009.

Wednesday, February 17, at 10.30am, at the Invercauld House Function Centre, Invercauld Rd, Goonellabah.

Gold Coast and Tweed Heads
Thursday, February 18, at 10am (QLD Time; 11am NSW time), at the new Gold Coast campus, room R-1.29, Southern Cross Drive, Bilinga (access via Terminal Drive, Gold Coast Airport).