Alice students to collect $13,000 in CDU scholarships

Charles Darwin University will award more than $13,000 in scholarships to six outstanding students in Alice Springs tomorrow.

The scholarships will be presented at the annual prize-giving ceremony for outstanding achievement at Alice Springs campus.

Director Central Australia Paul Fitzsimons said 65 students would receive a prize or scholarship this year.

“We award these scholarships and prizes to students who have excelled in a particular unit or program, or in some cases, have demonstrated exceptional effort in achieving their outcomes, irrespective of their grades,” Mr Fitzsimons said.

“As well as offsetting the financial burden for individuals, scholarships are invaluable for strengthening a community’s fabric by bringing together business, government, community groups and individuals.

“We are most grateful to the generous sponsors of the various awards.”

Mr Fitzsimons said that new Vice-Chancellor Professor Simon Maddocks would attend the prize-giving ceremony in what would be his first formal visit to Alice Springs.

“We are delighted to have Professor Maddocks here for this event tomorrow afternoon, and for graduation tomorrow evening.

“Both are important events at which staff and families are afforded an opportunity to celebrate significant milestones in a student’s learning journey,” he said.

“The prize-giving ceremony upholds a local tradition of acknowledging our high achievers, whereas the graduation ceremony will be a grand affair steeped in academic tradition with the Season’s Fanfare, an academic procession and the conferral of degrees and other awards.”

The prize-giving ceremony will be held in the Desert Lantern Restaurant, Alice Springs campus at 4.30pm. Graduation will be held at the Alice Springs Convention Centre from 7pm.

Mr Fitzsimons said the higher education academic year would be in recess from tomorrow and that Semester 2 would start on 21 July.

2014 scholarship recipients, Alice Springs

* Alice Springs Town Council Scholarship – Renu Renu, Sarah Ryan and Loretta Harris.
* Sandy Nairn Memorial Scholarship – Kathryn Cochrane
* Central Australian Hospital Network Governing Council Nursing Scholarship – Irene Weiss
* Luma Luma Holiday Apartments Scholarship – Carly Molloy
* Department of Families and Children Scholarship – Lisa Anderson (to be presented separately)