Guardian Trust and the Maori Education Trust invite students to apply for 2014 Rose Hellaby scholarships

Guardian Trust and the Māori Education Trust are again calling for eligible Māori students to submit their applications for a valuable boost to their education prospects. For the annual distribution of approximately $130,000 to more than 112 Māori students, the two organisations are seeking applications for the 2014 round from the Rose Hellaby Māori Education Fund. 

Applications for the 2014 postgraduate scholarships close on 28 March 2014. The postgraduate scholarships specifically support outstanding Māori students undertaking Masters, PhD or other postgraduate study in the fields of engineering, mathematics, science, technology or medicine, but with a particular bias toward those eager to provide leadership to Māori in their given field and benefit Māori generally. There are two postgraduate awards available, worth up to $30,000 each.

Also eligible for scholarships from the fund are Māori undergraduates (applications also close 28 March 2014) studying in the scientific, mathematical or technical fields. There are 30 $1,000 undergraduate awards available whilst a further 80 secondary school scholarships are granted to Year 9 students.

Established in 1969, Guardian Trust (sole trustee, administrator and investment manager) has distributed $3.392 million from the Rose Hellaby Māori Education Fund, via the Māori Education Trust, to nearly 5,000 Māori students, including $1.1million in the past decade.

Identifying the opportunity to further support Māori into higher education, Guardian Trust and the Māori Education Trust formally created the Rose Hellaby Postgraduate Māori Scholarships in 2010. The late Rose Hellaby was a visionary, explorer, philanthropist and descendant of the Auckland-based meat dynasty, and established her eponymous Māori Education Fund with the goal of creating educational opportunity for Māori children and young adults.

Philip Morgan Rees, Guardian Trust’s General Manager Personal Client Services, says, "The Rose Hellaby Māori Education Fund is a prime example of the generosity of New Zealanders, and the ability to create an enduring legacy that will continue to support future generations in perpetuity. Guardian Trust, as keeper and protector of Rose’s great legacy, is privileged to be able to bestow her wishes by enabling tomorrow’s leaders to grow and prosper. We look forward to celebrating this year’s deserving recipients at our annual Rose Hellaby Awards ceremony.

“We hope Rose would be pleased by the ongoing fulfilment of her goals for Māori education and the enrichment of young academics.”

Evelyn Newman, Manager of the Māori Education Trust, says, “This is always an exciting time of year for us as we start receiving scholarship applications from the next round of future Māori leaders in their respective fields. We are truly inspired by Rose Hellaby’s work and I have visited Rose Hellaby House in Waitakere to immerse myself in her legacy. The scholarships offered by this fund touch many lives, from high school students to postgraduate students, their families and their communities.

“We’re privileged to work alongside the team at Guardian Trust, who possess a passion for and focus on directing these scholarships to people with leadership ability and who provide support to others in their field and communities.”

The Māori Education Trust manages 16 scholarships, which offer approximately 290 individual awards. The Rose Hellaby Postgraduate Māori Scholarship is the largest scholarship paid to any one recipient.

More information and application forms can be found at www.maorieducation.org.nz via the Apply for Scholarships page.