Twenty four Scholarships to Central region - Councillor

2 July 2009

Twenty four Aboriginal people from New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council's Central Region had won NSWALC education scholarships, its Central Region representative, Councillor Stephen Ryan announced today.

"This is a marvelous outcome.   It is one of the highest number of scholarships for any single Region throughout the State".

Councillor Ryan said recipient winners came from all walks of life and represented a wide range of educational levels.

"This epitomises the rationale behind the scholarships, which have two distinct themes," Councillor Ryan said.

"Freddy Fricke scholarships seek to redress the lack of Aboriginal people working in the professions, including medicine, finance and commerce, while Educational Endowment Fund scholarships covered all age groups and levels of education.  The $30 million Education Endowment Fund was entirely financed by NSWALC," Councillor Ryan said.

Scholarship winners in his Region came from such areas as Dubbo, Gilgandra, Mudgee, Narromine, Nyngan, Macquarie and Wellington.

"State-wide there were 128 recipients of NSWALC educational scholarships.  They included a young Aboriginal man in his last year of medicine, a young woman studying medical radiation science and a young man studying for an applied science degree.

"They also included a significant number of Aboriginal people completing community service degrees and trade courses, teachers, scientists and nurses - and young people at both primary school and high school.

"By encouraging more Aboriginal people to stay at school and achieve academically we know we are making a solid contribution to the number who may become the leaders of the next generation," Councillor Ryan said.