Howick-based business Southern Cross Partners has provided a substantial scholarship valued at $72,000 over four years for a graduating Howick College student to pursue full-time tertiary study at a university of their choice in 2021.
Southern Cross Partners says it is a means of giving back to the local community. It was awarded at the Howick College Year 13 Honours Ceremony.
Founding director Barry Milward and managing partner Cam Harper recently presented this inaugural scholarship to Jenna Hainsworth, from Howick College.
Thrilled to be the first recipient of the scholarship, Jenna says, “I am so grateful to have received the Southern Cross Partners Scholarship. It has meant the world to me to be given an opportunity to live a financially stress-free student life, allowing me to fully invest in my studies. It has also provided me with the amazing opportunity of interning at the Southern Cross Partners firm to gain work experience and develop new skills. I am so excited for the future ahead.”
Jenna has been a peer support leader, a house leader and captain of the 1st XI Girls Hockey team. She has also demonstrated high academic achievement, receiving several top-in-subject awards and excellence endorsements in NCEA. This year, she was also one of the only three recipients for the Howick College Award, the most prestigious award in the school.
Jenna will pursue her conjoint degree in a Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of International Hospitality Management at AUT University and hopes to start her own event management company. The scholarship will also include work placement during Jenna’s final year towards the completion of her conjoint degrees.
In addition, Southern Cross Partners also offered a one-off contribution of $5000 to each of the other two shortlisted candidates Chris Camm and Bruno Danev to support their tertiary studies and by making available mentorship opportunities.
Milward says, “Julia and I feel the time is right to give something back to our local community and what better way than to help the future generation by means of educational support in the form of this scholarship. Howick College and Southern Cross Partners share similar values and they’re a local school whose students we want to help achieve success.
“Our goal is to help a young person with real potential chase their dreams without starting off in financial strife. We’re looking forward to helping Jenna come out of her studies with no student debt and some applicable industry experience for a head-start in the real world.”
