Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, in conjunction with its Community Bank network and other partners has awarded more than $1.1 million to 287 students across the country as part of its 2020 Scholarship Program. The program, now in its 14th year, is designed to increase access to tertiary education for students across rural and regional Australia by providing them with financial assistance to study – in some cases, thousands of kilometres away from home.
Since 2007, the initiative has provided $9.2 million in support to almost 1,000 Australian students. The program is one of the leading privately funded scholarship programs in Australia and supports the Bank’s purpose of feeding into prosperity, not off it. The majority of program funding is provided via the internationally acclaimed Community Bank network.
The financial support will contribute to the costs of accommodation, travel, course materials, study equipment and tutoring.
Spanning seven categories, the 2020 program sees the inclusion of a new scholarship category. The inaugural Robert Johanson Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Scholarship has been created as a fitting and ongoing reminder of our former Chairman’s legacy to regional Australian communities.
Mr Johanson championed the creation in 2007 of what has today become one of the largest privately funded and best targeted scholarship programs in Australia, a program that will continue to nurture significant intellectual capital across the community.
Scholarship recipients will study a range of professions spanning biomedical and material science, chemistry, medicine, psychology, nursing and midwifery, physiotherapy and public health.
“The Community Bank is a grass roots social enterprise business model where revenue is generated by the bank’s loyal customers and returned back into the community via grants, sponsorships, scholarships and donations.
“There are 320 Community Bank branches across this nation who are connected at the grass roots of their communities and know and understand the wants and needs of that community. How empowering for these recipients to know their community can support them in their education endeavours,” Ms Caple said.
Fast Facts
- Total Scholarship recipients in 2020 – 287 (including 2nd and 3rd Year recipients)
- Total amount funded to successful recipients in 2020 – $1.114 million
- Total Scholarship recipients since 2007- 981
- Total amount funded to successful recipients since 2007 – $9.2 million
