Robertson Scholars Bound for US

Robertson Scholars Bound for US

Three talented young Kiwis have gained scholarships to renowned American universities funded by New York philanthropist Julian Robertson and his wife Josie.

The Robertson Scholars from New Zealand for 2010 are John Scott-Jones from Ohope and two Aucklanders, Angela Zhou from Botany Downs and Alex Zhu from Epsom.

They will study at either the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, receiving free tuition and board and a living allowance for up to four years.

Three scholarships, each worth $NZ100,000 a year, are offered annually in New Zealand, two in Australia, one in Sweden and 24 in the United States. Selection is based on academic ability, commitment to community service, courage, collaborative spirit and a strongly ethical outlook.

Julian and Jose Robertson, who spend part of each year in New Zealand, established the Robertson Programme in 2000 with a $US24 million gift. Mr Robertson founded the Tiger Management hedge fund, and their generosity has benefited other causes in this country including the Auckland Art Gallery.

John Scott-Jones was head prefect and chapel prefect at St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton last year. Writing is his passion, and he gained NCEA scholarships in English in 2008 and in English, history and chemistry in 2009.

John represented the school in hockey at second eleven level as well as being involved in sport climbing. A keen debater he was member of the school team and was selected for the Waikato Schools’ Debating Team.

In 2008 he spent a month in Nepal, with the aid of the Ward Family Scholarship, working in a school in Kathmandu.

At Duke University John plans to take an undergraduate degree majoring in English with a minor in history. His ambition is to join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a diplomat, or to work in a multinational non-government organisation.

This semester he is studying history, Spanish and political science papers at Victoria University of Wellington.

Angela Zhou was born in Guangzhou, China and came to New Zealand aged four with her mother, knowing no English.

She was head prefect of Macleans College in Bucklands Beach last year. In 2008 she secured the highest mark in New Zealand for drama in the Cambridge International AS Level examinations and was awarded an NZQA Scholarship in drama (receiving an Outstanding Scholarship in 2009).

In 2009 she was awarded marks in the 90s for her Cambridge A Levels in English, business studies and history, and was in the top six in the country in the NZQA Scholarship exam in drama as well as gaining a scholarship in English.

Active in drama, music and theatresports, Angela spent three weeks at London’s Globe Theatre last year on a professional acting course culminating in a public performance. She was there with the Shakespeare Globe Theatre New Zealand Young Shakespeare Company, one of 24 participants selected nationwide.

In cricket she was in the girls’ first eleven and she gained her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. She has taken part in numerous community and charitable activities.

Angela aims to take an arts degrees in political science and theatre studies at Duke University with a view to a career in business, law, the humanitarian sector or politics.

Alex Zhu, also born in Guangzhou, China, settled in New Zealand with his family aged five, speaking little English.

At Auckland Grammar School, where he became a prefect, his focus was on mathematics and the sciences.

In the 2009 Cambridge International Examinations he was in the top ten per cent of the seventh form cohort, placing him on the Auckland Grammar School Honours Board for the second year in a row with an average of 92.3 percent. In the NZQA Scholarship exams he came top in New Zealand in chemistry while also gaining scholarships in mathematics and calculus, statistics and modelling, and physics.

Last year Alex represented New Zealand at the International Chemistry Olympiad.

He plays badminton, soccer, squash, table tennis and tennis, takes part in Taekwondo and is an avid skier. At school he founded a diabolo club under the umbrella of the Asian Culture Group, and was involved in Auckland Grammar’s community service and peer tutoring programme.

Alex aims to take a bachelor of science at Duke University in electrical engineering and materials engineering, and anticipates a career in engineering. Currently he is taking first-year engineering papers at the University of Auckland.

The Robertson Scholars Programme is administered by the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (NZVCC). The deadline for applications is 1 December. More information on the scholarship can be found on the NZVCC website at www.nzvcc.ac.nz

ENDS

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