The Governor of South Australia, Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce AC CSC RANR, presented two new Charles Hawker Scholars with their scholarship certificates today at a ceremony held at Government House in Adelaide. The scholars are from Adelaide and regional Victoria. Forty-five friends and family, college representatives, current scholars and the Trustees of the C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship attended the function.
The 2012 Charles Hawker Scholarship recipients are Miss Sarah Dowd (Kormilda College (NT) Walford Anglican School for Girls (SA) and Glebe House School (UK) and Mr. Patrick Clark (Crusoe College (Vic) and Bendigo Senior Secondary College (Vic)).
The 2012 recipients are enrolled at universities and colleges in the Australian Capital Territory, and South Australia and are residing at St Mark’s College in Adelaide and Burgmann College in Canberra.
Hawker Scholarships, valued at up to $45,000.00 over three years, are one of the most generous privately funded scholarships available to undergraduate and postgraduate students in Australia.
“I congratulate the 2012 Scholar winners. The Charles Hawker Scholarship Trust was established by the late Lilias Needham in memory of her brother. These scholarships have provided opportunities for an increasing number of young Australian students to undertake further studies to achieve their full potential,” His Excellency said.
Since 1991, the Trustees have awarded four million dollars to ninety-six young Australians, including a significant number from regional areas. The two successful candidates for 2012 were awarded Hawker Scholarships from a strong field of 170 applicants.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Hawker family member, Hon. David Hawker spoke about the life of C.A.S. Hawker at a function at St Mark’s College following the presentation by the Governor.
“The Charles Hawker Scholarship is one of the most important in Australia. I commend the Trustees for the contribution the scholarship has already made and will continue to make to the education of a number of outstanding young Australians,” Hon. David Hawker said.
There are a number of scholarships awarded each year. The Trustees offer them to capable students of principle and character, who are committed to Australia’s future.
“Each of these recipients has already displayed a strong commitment to the ideals upon which the Charles Hawker Scholarship Memorial Trust Fund is founded. They are gifted scholars with inquiring minds and have already contributed to the wider community. Charles Hawker had a lasting impact on Australian politics and all members of the federal house had an enormous respect for him during his time as Australia’s first Minister for Commerce in the Lyons government in the 1930s.
“He was a great Australian who offered his best through his commitment to his country, countrymen and women and democracy; these are values that I hope the scholars today take with them into their studies. Through his example and these scholarships it’s my hope that public service will be included in the career options of recipients,” Hon. David Hawker said.
The Charles Hawker Scholarship perpetuates the memory and commemorates the achievements of one of Australia’s most respected pastoral pioneers. Born on May 16th 1894 at Bungaree homestead near Clare in South Australia, Charles Hawker was educated at Geelong Church of England Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge. Student, soldier, pastoralist and statesman Charles Allan Seymour Hawker died in the Kyeema air disaster on October 25th, 1938.
Undergraduate and postgraduate Hawker Scholars are able to attend a range of educational institutions. These include the Australian National, Adelaide, Flinders, South Australian and New England Universities and Marcus Oldham College. Post-graduate Charles Hawker Scholars are also able to follow in Charles Hawker’s footsteps by enrolling at Trinity College and studying at Cambridge UK.
“C.A.S. Hawker was a truly remarkable man and a great Australian. This scholarship is a fitting tribute to his memory and each of these two scholars is a very worthy recipient,” Mr. Andrew Hawker, Scholarship Trustee and Hawker family member said.
Selection is based on personal qualities as well as academic ability. Applications for the 2013 Charles Hawker Scholarships open on December 10th 2012 and close on January 4th 2013. An application form and further information is available from www.hawkerscholarship.org or by contacting the secretary to the Trustees on 08 8127 1654.
Cesare Silvestri
Secretary to the Trustees
C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship
08 8127 1654
Ian Doyle
Media Coordinator
C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship
0417 819 189