Zonta Scholarships awarded
Chair of Zonta’s Scholarship committee Linda McElrea studies this year’s applications.
SERVICE to women continues at the Zonta Club of Blackall Range Inc, even in a pandemic, and one of their major initiatives is to award two scholarships annually to local women studying at tertiary level.
The 2020 winners have been announced and their cheques posted, pending an opportunity to present their certificates in person when club meetings become face to face again.
Chairman of the Scholarship committee, Linda McElrea, said the candidates this year were so close they decided to give a further ‘encouragement’ award.
“Each year we award a $1500 scholarship for a female studying STEM subjects and one for a student of Humanities, and this year we also gave a $500 supplementary award to a student of Fine Arts” said Linda.
The STEM scholarship was awarded to Georgia Siddals in her second year of a BSc at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Georgia’s degree choice began with a love of biology at high school but having discovered a passion for chemistry and biochemistry she is considering a pursuit of medicine or completing further study in pharmaceutical research and drug trial management.
“The emergence of COVID-19 has impacted me in many ways, but it has reminded me why I am putting myself through university, in order to apply what I have learnt to helping others, either working on the front-line or searching for a potential cure during a pandemic,” she said.
The Humanities scholarship was awarded to Talia Rosa-Denham, enrolled in a Bachelor of Laws. Talia, in her third year at USC, changed courses from originally studying medicine, and now is totally committed to a degree in Law.
“Now I can’t imagine studying anything else, as I see it as a force for social change. For example, the law was used to extend the right for women to vote and stand for public office in Australia, the second country ever to enshrine these Acts.
“I hope eventually to work in a field where I can combine my love of law with my interest in foreign relations,” said Talia.
The encouragement award was given to Eve
Jorgensen, who, following a Diploma of Visual Art at TAFE in 2018 is now in her second year of a Bachelor of Fine Art at Griffith Queens- land College of Art.
“This is the first time we have awarded this, but we were very impressed with the quality of Eve’s application and dedication to her study”, said Linda McElrea.
Originally from Denmark, Eve spent her school years at Montville primary and Maleny High School and has contributed her works in jewellery and ceramics to stores and markets in Maleny where they have been extremely popular.
“I am particularly interested in traditional art practice and I hope to be able to pursue study at a ceramic and glass school in Den- mark, and perhaps further my degree and teach, so I can support myself while I maintain my creative art activities,” she said.
The women will be invited to a club meeting when restrictions are more relaxed so they can receive their award certificates from President Ann Koenig and speak to members about their career goals.