The Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund has helped hundreds of students achieve their tertiary education dreams for more than 20 years.
This would not have been possible without the support of our community and business sponsors, including Whitehaven Coal Ltd, Santos Ltd, Boggabri Coal, PRAMS (Paediatric and Maternity Support), Forsyths Accounting and Financial Services, Rotary Club of Gunnedah, Rotary Club of Gunnedah West, Club Gunnedah, Arts Gunnedah, and many more local businesses and groups.
This year, Gunnedah Shire Council can add a new scholarship to our extensive list - '??? ?????? ????? ??????? ???????????'.
Very generous sponsors, who have asked to remain anonymous, have donated a substantial amount of funds for this scholarship, which are to be disbursed as $2,500 per student, per year, with a maximum of three full-time students per scholarship year, to attend the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, preferably to study Asian Studies, Economics or Business Management. In the event that no student is looking to undertake studies in these areas, there is the potential to look at a scholarship for a student who will be enrolling in any other 'full-time' course at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. The funds will be disbursed each year until all expended.
The sponsors have created the scholarship in honour of Pamela Helen Rickard, who was the Dux of Gunnedah High School in 1969. Pamela attended the Australian National University from 1970 to 1972, undertaking a combined Asian Studies/Economics degree and was a prize-winner in Economic History.
Pamela spent many years in administration at Monash University, including in the role of assistant to the Dean of the Faculty of Law in the 1990s, utilising her strong personal skills backed by her academic studies, including a Graduate Diploma in Business Management.
The sponsors said Pamela was always very proud of her Gunnedah roots, and believed deeply in the value of education and the encouragement and provision of opportunities for young people.
Sadly, Pamela has passed away and in honour of her memory, the scholarship will be open to students of the Gunnedah Shire to support their undergraduate studies at the Australian National University, Canberra.
A note was found among Pamela's last writings that talked about the establishment of a fund to help Gunnedah students. Thank you to our anonymous sponsors and thank you to Pamela Helen Rickard.
