Nineteen year old student Jessica Nelson of Burrell Creek has been awarded a rural scholarship from the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) Foundation.
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Jessica is one of four students from the Mid North Coast of NSW who were among 55 recipients awarded rural scholarships in 2015, an initiative designed to build strong and vibrant NSW rural communities.
Scholarships are awarded to students originally from rural areas, and offer $5,000 for full-time study and $2,500 for part-time study.
Jessica is a first year speech pathology student at the University of Newcastle.
Growing up in the Manning Valley, Jessica developed a strong sense of community and a desire to help improve the lives of others. Her fascination with the evolution of language and significance of speech in society inspired her ambition to support those with communication and swallowing disorders.
At the end of her degree, she aims to help deliver equitable healthcare to rural NSW to ensure both children and the elderly have access to high-quality and consistent speech therapy without the need to travel.
The three other local students are Trisinta Bernasconi (Taree), Samantha Harris (Bunyah) and Sophie Smethurst (Upper Lansdowne).
The news comes a month after research by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) revealed university students from disadvantaged groups, including those from regional or remote locations, have a lower completion rate than the national average.
RAS Foundation executive officer, Kate Ross, said the scholarships support a diverse range of education and training pursuits, and are designed to ease the financial burden of higher education and encourage students who want to make a contribution to rural NSW.
“The RAS Foundation is committed to helping rural Australians realise their potential through education and training. Each year we are impressed with the quality of applicants and inspired by their journeys,” Ms Ross said.
“There are some remarkable stories amongst this group of scholars – they come from a variety of backgrounds and each has a story to tell about why education, as well as giving back to the local community, is so important to them.
“We look forward to supporting these rural-minded students as they work towards achieving their goals,” Ms Ross said.
In 2015, the total value of rural scholarships awarded was $267,500. Since the scholarship program began in 2011, the RAS Foundation has granted more than $1million to support 227 deserving rural students.