Ricegrowers’ Industry Scholarships Now Open.

The Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia (RGA) is now taking applications for the 2022 Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship and Peter Connor Book Award.

Since the awards were first introduced in 2001, over 40 agriculture students have benefited from the generosity and foresight of SunRice, Rice Research Australia and the RGA.

The Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship provides $10,000 to assist a student with the costs of tertiary education, and is named after past RGA President Greg Graham of Deniliquin who died suddenly on New Year’s Day in 1983.

The Peter Connor Book Award is awarded to the runner-up of the Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship winner and consists of $3,000 to put towards the cost of books and course materials. Peter Connor was a leading rice grower in the Coleambally area, and was a long standing vice president of the RGA and board member of the Ricegrowers’ Co-operative Limited.

Current RGA President, Rob Massina, said the RGA is committed to the industry’s long term future and see the next generation as a key part of its success.

“Most of the successful applicants of these two scholarships have returned to our communities and farms with leading edge knowledge which has strengthened and rejuvenated our agricultural industry,” Mr Massina said.

2021 Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship recipient Tom Mannes from Coleambally is in his final year of a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science at Charles Sturt University in Wagga.

Mr Mannes said, “The Greg Graham scholarship has not only provided me significant financial assistance towards my degree but also the confidence to follow my passion for agriculture. The scholarship interview process also introduced me to inspiring leaders within the industry. I look forward to continuing to develop my agricultural career after graduating.”

James McCaw from Berriquin received the 2021 Peter Connor Book Award which alleviated some of the financial pressures associated with university.

To be eligible, students must meet the following criteria:

• Applicants must be the child/grandchild or nominated employee* of:
  • A current financial member of RGA and/or,
  • an A-Class share holder and/or,
  • a grower who has grown rice in the last 3 years including C22.
• Applicants must be in their second or successive year of studying an agricultural focused and/or industry related course at an Australian tertiary institution; and
• Applicants need to demonstrate a commitment to the rice industry.
• Recipients of the Peter Connor Book Award are eligible for GGMS.
• Recipients of the Jan Cathcart Scholarship are ineligible for the GGMS.
• Recipients who have previously been awarded a GGMS are ineligible for the Peter Connor Book Award.

*a nominated employee must have worked within the rice farming business for more than 6 months. 

To apply visit, www.rga.org.au/the_rice_industry/scholarships.

Applications close 12pm 11 Feb 2022, interviews will be conducted the week commencing 14th February and the successful applicants announced 9am 25th February.

Media inquires:
Matthew Pete
RGA Communications Officer
0488 071 165 | mpete@rga.org.au