Media Release for immediate use: Thursday 29 May 2008
Mike Pero Mortgages Calls For Scholarship Applications
Mike Pero Mortgages Foundation is offering another three tertiary scholarships for students planning their first year of
tertiary study in 2009.
Applications for the scholarship programme open on 1 June.
Sandra Pigram, Chief Executive Officer at Mike Pero Mortgages, says they are very pleased to be able to run this
scholarship programme for first year tertiary students.
“The programme is now in its third year and it just seems to get more popular every year,” she says.
“This year we are offering three tertiary education scholarships, two worth $5,000 and one worth $2,500. We recognise
the importance of tertiary education to young New Zealanders and that’s why this scholarship programme is again being
offered to students.”
Last year the programme proved very popular with around 560 applications, all of an extremely high standard, from around
the country. Sandra Pigram says she’s expecting a similar response again this year.
“We recognise the cost of tertiary study can be a challenge for students and their families – in some cases it may even
be the reason someone does not attend university or polytech,” she says.
“The Mike Pero Mortgages Foundation scholarship will help remove this barrier for at least three talented young students
and is another way Mike Pero Mortgages is helping the communities it works in.”
The scholarships are open to prospective first-time tertiary students aged between 17 and 25. Any recognised programme
of full-time tertiary study will be considered.
Applications
Applications for the 2009 Mike Pero Mortgages Foundation Scholarship Programme are open from Sunday 1 June until Sunday
31 August, 2008. Application forms are available online at www.mikepero.co.nz http://www.mikepero.co.nz
The successful recipients will be announced in October.
ENDS
Previous Winners
2006 Winners
Chris Blackford from Wellington received the inaugural Mike Pero Mortgages Foundation scholarship in 2006 to assist with
his study in 2007.
He was the overall winner and received a $10,000 scholarship. Chris is currently studying for a Bachelor of Science
degree, majoring in Biotechnology, at Victoria University.
His results at the end of his first year (2007) at university were excellent. He was awarded three A+ grades and a B+ in
his first semester, followed by two A+s, an A and an A- in his second semester.
Chris says the scholarship allowed him to take part in other activities outside the lecture theatre – he was part of the
university debating team He also pushed himself academically – Chris did two second year papers in his second semester
and the scholarship helped with the extra costs associated with doing this.
Aucklander Devon Latoa received a $2,500 Mike Pero Mortgages Foundation tertiary scholarship in 2006 to go towards his
study in 2007.
He is studying law and commerce at Otago University.
Devon lived at Selwyn College in his first year, which is the oldest Halls of Residence at Otago University. He says the
scholarship allowed him to live away from home and it meant his year in Dunedin was financially stress-free. He has
returned to Selwyn College again this year where he is a committee member.
Devon says he was thrilled with his results – he achieved good enough grades to get accepted into second year law and he
also received an invitation to take up Honours in Marketing.
Tamara Poi from Timaru was the third recipient of the Mike Pero Mortgages Foundation scholarship in 2006.
She received a $2,500 scholarship which she used to help assist in her studies at Canterbury University.
Tamara is studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Politcal Science and Maori.
In her first year at university Tamara says she surpassed her own expectations. She earned top grades in all her
subjects and received an award of Academic Excellence from the Maori Department.
She hopes to finish her Bachelor of Arts degree at the end of next year and intends to complete an Honours degree in
2010. Tamara says she hopes this will help her get into the prestigious post-graduate Diploma in Journalism.
2007 Winners
Johnathan O’Grady from De La Salle College in Manukau, Auckland, was named the overall winner and was awarded the
$10,000 tertiary scholarship, which he is putting towards his commerce degree at Auckland University this year.
Ben Frank from Tauranga Boys College was awarded a $5,000 scholarship which will assist with his Bachelor of Surveying
degree at the University of Otago.
Zinet Mohamed from Papatoetoe High School in Mangere, Auckland, was the recipient of a $2,500 scholarship which she will
use for her Bachelor of Health Sciences degree at Otago University.