Scholarship recipients Clare Canham and Zara Bartlett.
Gunnedah’s young minds have shared their hopes and dreams for future careers as the latest grant recipients of the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund.
Clare Canham was winner of the inaugural Pamela Helen Rickard Scholarship – a new scholarship honouring the late 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.
The scholarship is awarded to Gunnedah students also attending the Canberra-based university.
Miss Canham, who was awarded the first scholarship, will study a Bachelor of Political Science.
She said the political interest was sparked during her final years of high school where she was highly successfully on the regional public speaking circuit.
Miss Canham was particularly interested to pursue the foreign affairs and international relations component of her study in the hope of one day reaching the top as minister for foreign affairs.
“That’s the big goal but I want to start with the government department and work my way into parliament,” the former St Mary’s College student said.
As a side interest, she also planned to take some classes on indigenous studies and follow in the footsteps of her aunt who specialises in indigenous health.
Fellow classmate Zara Bartlett will study a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood in Sydney.
Ms Bartlett aspired to one day manage a childcare centre or even own and run a childcare business herself.
Courtney Hobden said the scholarship will provide a head-start on essentials ahead of her studies at the University of New England.
“It will help pay for a computer, textbooks, and other essentials at uni,” she said.
Ms Hobden was accepted into the Bachelor of Rural Science where she plans to focus on livestock breeding and genetics.
“I’m working at a feedlot at the moment and they do most of their breeding and genetics already,” she said.
“I can get a lot out of rural science and that’s why I’m focusing on this.”
The former high school student from Gunnedah said the four-year degree will continue a life-long interest in the agricultural field.
“I’ve always worked with cattle, it’s something I’ve always done, and I really enjoy it.”
Scholarship recipient Courtney Hobden.
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Gunnedah’s Cameron Neader is packing his bags bound for Newcastle to pursue a career in electrical engineering.
Mr Neader will initially study a Diploma of Engineering at the University of Newcastle, using the course as preparation for a future bachelor’s degree.
His study will focus on digital and computer electronics and advanced physics – furthering his interest from high school.
“Doing physics in year 11 and 12 going deep into the subject I found really interesting,” Mr Neader said.
“I found electromagnetism to be the most interesting subject.
“It’s basically just magic.”
He said real-world applications for his study are almost endless: “Anything involving electricity, anything that needs to be designed that needs electricity”.
A former St Xavier’s Primary and Carinya Christian College secondary student, Mr Neader said last year’s HSC exams were relatively stress-free compared to the study beforehand.
“When I was in the exams I found it flew by,” he said.
“The more intense thing was studying part of it. That was hanging over you for weeks leading into it.”
Scholarship recipient Cameron Neader.
One of the scholarship recipients was Amelia Lush. Known for athletic contribution to the Gunnedah shire through swimming and netball, she is carrying on her passion for sport.
She received $2000 to assist in her studies of human movement and nutritional science.
“I have done sport my whole life so, any possibility of [having a career in sport has] always intrigued me,” Amelia said.
She will be going through university pathways to obtain a sport psychology degree, wanting to learn more about sport sciences and psychology. She is also interested in data analysis and research into sporting programs.
After her studies are complete, Amelia will hopefully be working with the country’s elite athletes and with a psychological degree, she can look into options such as mental health or factors into sport performance.
Amelia Lush.
Josie Gallagher is already one year into her Bachelor of Education K-12 and is loving her degree.
“I always wanted to be a teacher, and I decided not to have a gap year and get straight into it and it was probably the best thing [for me],” Josie said.
She has received $1000 from the scholarship program, which she plans to spend on school supplies and textbooks throughout 2025.
Her passion is more for primary school teaching and hopefully Gunnedah will see her back as a qualified teacher in a few years.
For the moment she is focused on her bachelor degree at Charles Sturt University but may pick up another degree later on in her career. This is her second time being a scholarship recipient, after receiving a donation from the shire last year as well.
Josie Gallagher.
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