Three students from the region have been awarded Gardiner Foundation tertiary scholarships for 2024, highlighting the exceptional talent emerging from Victoria’s dairy regions.
The scholarships, valued at $10,000 annually over three years, aim to support Victorian students from dairy communities as they embark on their tertiary education journey.
This year, Alex Ingram from Rochester, Alysha Toohill from Kyabram and Ella Bryant from Kaarimba were among the seven recipients.
They were chosen for their outstanding potential to contribute to the Victorian dairy industry and their communities.
Alex went to Rochester Secondary College and has started studying a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) at La Trobe University in Bundoora.
Alysha is set to pursue a Bachelor of Health Science at La Trobe University Bendigo, with aspirations of becoming a dentist and obtaining her private pilot’s licence.
Ella aims to specialise in radiography after completing her Bachelor of Health Science at Deakin University in Geelong, hoping to provide essential services to smaller towns.
Gardiner Foundation chief executive Allan Cameron emphasised the importance of supporting students from dairy communities.
“More students from dairy communities obtaining skills and experiences in their chosen field of endeavour will help create thriving and vibrant communities where people want to live, work and invest,“ he said.
The scholarships, named in honour of notable figures in the dairy industry such as Niel Black, Shirley Harlock, Jakob Malmo, Bill Pyle and Doug Weir, cover various studies, including agriculture science, nursing, medicine, engineering, journalism and commerce.
Since its inception in 2008, the Gardiner Foundation has awarded 82 scholarships totalling over $1.9 million.
This year’s scholarships were granted based on the student’s acceptance into courses that promise to benefit the Victorian dairy industry or dairy communities directly.