Media Release

Three West Coast students awarded Solid Energy scholarships

8 February 2007

Three West Coast students will find financing this year's study a little easier thanks to a Solid Energy tertiary scholarship.

Westport's Blair Mason (18), Callum Duncan (18) of Greymouth and Hokitika's Jaimee Davidson (18) will all this year begin their tertiary studies at the University of Canterbury. Solid Energy scholarships pay $2000 a year to each student for up to four years of study.

Blair Mason, from Buller High School, will be studying for a Bachelor of Commerce with a marketing major. "Being awarded the scholarship by Solid Energy means that the financial burden of studying will be eased," says Blair. "My goal is to finish the degree and continue on to post-graduate study. The scholarship gives me the opportunity to continue studying for a fourth year and also provides some security."

Callum Duncan, a student from Greymouth High School, is starting his intermediate year of engineering. "Being awarded the Solid Energy scholarship is really important to me especially as it's paid every year - it's a great help. It also means I don't have to rely as much on my parents for financial support!" Callum says. In the future Callum hopes to continue with post-graduate work in mining engineering in Australia and then return to the West Coast to work.

Hokitika's Jaimee Davidson was formerly a student at Westland High School. This year she will begin studying for a Bachelor of Commerce with an accounting major. "The scholarship will help out a lot and relieve some of the financial stress. I won't have to worry about finding money for fees," says Jaimee. "Solid Energy's scholarship definitely helped to confirm my decision to go into tertiary studies."

Solid Energy's tertiary scholarships are available to students from the West Coast, Southland and Huntly areas. A complete list of scholarship criteria can be found here