Media Release for immediate use: Thursday 13 December 2007
De La Salle College Student Presented With Top Mike Pero Mortgages Scholarship
De La Salle College student Johnathan O’Grady was presented with the top Mike Pero Mortgages Foundation scholarship at
the school’s end of year prize giving last night.
Johnathan O’Grady won the $10,000 scholarship from around 560 applicants and he will put it towards his Bachelor of
Commerce degree at Auckland University.
Johnathan says he definitely wasn’t expecting the call from Mike Pero Mortgages to tell him he had won the scholarship.
“I was really shocked and amazed to win it,” he says. “I’ve never received a scholarship or anything similar before.
Considering the number of people who applied for the scholarship I was really surprised to find that I had got the top
award.”
Johnathan says he’s always liked working with numbers and is fascinated by the New Zealand economy and that is why he
has chosen to study a Bachelor of Commerce. He says the scholarship will make it possible for him to follow his dream of
going to university.
“If I didn’t get the scholarship I would’ve found it extremely difficult to go to university. That’s what motivated me
to apply for the scholarship – without the financial assistance I just wouldn’t have been able to pursue my dream,” he
says. “I want to be successful and financially stable, plus I would love to be the first person in my family to succeed
at this level.”
Johnathan says the $10,000 will go towards text books, course fees and daily travelling expenses. He lives in Manukau
and will have to catch the train and bus to and from university every day.
He says he would certainly encourage other Year 13 students to apply for a Mike Pero Mortgages Foundation scholarship.
“It’s as easy as anything to fill out an application form. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain, just do it,”
Johnathan says.
The Mike Pero Mortgages Foundation awarded two other scholarships to high school students. Ben Frank from Tauranga Boys’
College was the recipient of a $5,000 scholarship and Zinet Mohamed from Papatoetoe High School was awarded a $2,500
scholarship.
The Scholarship Programme is a nationwide initiative open to all New Zealand students, aged between 17 and 25, embarking
on their first year of tertiary study. It was launched by the Mike Pero Foundation to deliver programmes that will
benefit the community.
Applicants were required to complete an application form outlining their academic, cultural and community achievements
and interests, as well as their intended course of study and why they had chosen it.
Johnathan says his family was extremely proud of his achievement and though his friends were also pleased for him they
were also very envious!
ENDS