Five outstanding students receive tertiary scholarships in Gisborne

Five Gisborne students were awarded this year’s Walter William McLean scholarships.

Farm revenues from Mr McLean’s Gowerville Station, on the outskirts of Gisborne, help fund these prestigious scholarships.

The winners each receive $3,500 per year for three years of tertiary study. The Walter William McLean Scholarship is administered and managed by Public Trust.

The 2009 scholarship winners are:

• Hanareia Ehau-Taumaunu: Lytton High School, studying Pharmacology at the University of Otago.

• Alexander Hyland: Gisborne Boys’ High School, studying Civil Engineering at the University of Canterbury.

• Kristee Hardacre: Gisborne Girls’ High School, studying Medicine at either the University of Otago or the University of Auckland.

• Beth Thompson: Campion College, studying Medicine at the University of Auckland.

• Mats Holmquist: Campion College, studying Surveying at the University of Otago.

John Derry, Public Trust’s national farm manager said at the presentation ceremony, “These scholarships are all about helping support the young people of the Gisborne district to study at tertiary level. The applicants again were of an extremely high standard and are a credit to their schools and the community. It was a very difficult decision choosing these five outstanding winners.”

Each school within the Gisborne, Waikahu and Cook Districts may nominate scholarship applicants.

Each applicant must be planning to continue their studies at tertiary level, and accordingly, the scholarship recipients receive $3,500 per year for three years of study.

The scholarship is presently funding the studies of 15 Gisborne area students.

The Walter William McLean Scholarship is funded by revenue from Gowerville Station, which was owned by Mr McLean. On his death, Mr McLean made over Gowerville to a trust. Public Trust manages and administers the property, as well as the Walter William McLean Scholarships.

Gowerville, just beyond Gisborne’s town boundary, is a 369 hectare sheep and cattle property. A small area of the land is used as a vineyard by Tairawhiti Polytechnic for training students in viticulture.

“The Walter William McLean scholarships are all about helping Gisborne students in their tertiary studies. We wish Hanareia, Alexander, Kristee, Beth and Mats all the very best for their studies, and look forward to following their progress at university in the next few years,” said Mr Derry.