Environmental Law puts Hillary Scholar on the right track

Environmental Law puts Hillary Scholar on the right track

University of Waikato Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar Josh Blue is this year's winner of the Simpson Grierson Environmental Law Prize.

Josh achieved an A grade in the University of Waikato's Environmental Law paper and was recently presented with a cheque for $1,000 by Simpson Grierson.

The prize was established in 1992 to encourage excellence in the study of environmental law.

Josh is already getting a taste of life as working lawyer, spending summer as a clerk at law firm Russell McVeagh in Auckland.

“I got the summer clerk job at Russell McVeagh through gaining the Russell McVeagh Scholarship. As part of the scholarship you’re given some financial support each year and a guaranteed spot as a summer clerk with them before your final year of university.

“At the moment I’m working in both the Property and Resource Management teams and am gaining a good mix of experience across a range of jobs.”

Josh completes his conjoint degree in Law and Social Sciences next year and in the second semester will be heading to Copenhagen on a student exchange, which will be partly funded by his prize money.

His interest and passion for environmental law was the driving factor behind his success in the paper. He says, "What I like about this area of law is the weighing of the competing arguments of economic development versus environmental preservation, both of which can be equally valid in any particular case."

Josh is a Hillary Scholar for his achievements academically and with rugby. He’s hoping to make next year’s Waikato B Development team after a year off from the sport, recovering from a knee reconstruction.

Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarships are the University of Waikato’s most prestigious scholarships and are awarded to students who are high academic achievers who are also achieving in the arts or sport. Scholars have their course fees covered, receive specialist coaching and mentoring and take part in personal development and leadership programmes.

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