The future for 15 rising stars of Australian agriculture has been given a boost through Rural Bank’s national scholarship program. The Rural Bank Scholarship Program has been expanded from nine to 15 recipients in total, and this year will support nine females and six males across Australia as they commence their tertiary education. The 2018 program builds on the Bank’s history of supporting young students for more than 25 years.
Alexandra Gartmann, Rural Bank managing director and chief executive officer, said an increase in the number of scholarships offered through the 2018 program reflected the depth of bright young Australians passionate to contribute to the future prosperity of the agriculture sector.
“It was inspiring to read the unique stories within the 150 applications received this year, and while access to tertiary education continues to be a barrier for many regional and rural-based students, their ambition to undertake tertiary education really shone through.” Ms Gartmann said.
“The growth of the Australian agriculture sector is absolutely dependent on the development of new rural leaders who can implement new ways of thinking. Initiatives such as our scholarship program can provide the financial support needed to kick-start long and fruitful careers.
“We’re proud to be able to support these deserving students as they strive to achieve their goals through a selection of different courses such as medicine, engineering and veterinary science.”
Scholarship recipients each receive financial support from Rural Bank to the value of $5,000 for the first year of their studies. This funding can be used to contribute to the cost of accommodation, course materials, equipment and tutoring.
In addition to financial support, Rural Bank will help the scholarship recipients to build industry connections and complement their tertiary studies with development opportunities, such as mentorship. To learn more about the 2018 Rural Bank Scholarship Program and recipients, visit www.ruralbank.com.au/scholarships