Jorja recipient of the Rebecca L Lynch Memorial Scholarship

Former Whanganui High School student Jorja Hackett is the recipient of the Rebecca L Lynch Memorial Scholarship and will spend a year at the University Of Idaho studying in 2018.  At present Jorja is studying a Bachelor of Science at Victoria University.

Jorja's application for the scholarship was outstanding.
The scholarship is worth around $40k NZD.

Jorja intends to carry on with her Chinese Mandarin while there as they have a Confucius Room and offer several Chinese Mandarin papers at all levels. 

Congratulations Jorja, well done!

History or background of award

The Rebecca L Lynch Memorial Scholarship was established in 1985 and is funded by money invested in USA by Maurice and Alice Lynch, parents of Rebecca (who was killed in an accident in Nairobi at the age of 9). Maurice was in the US Air Force, based in Christchurch and flying to the Antarctic, and the family loved New Zealand. When Rebecca died, they decided to initiate a memorial scholarship for a New Zealander to attend their old university, the University of Idaho, of which they are both graduates (Maurice as a geologist and Alice as an archaeologist). Maurice and Alice Lynch take a great interest in the women who win the scholarships, and a number of them have visited the Lynches at their home in Alaska. Their daughter Lisa lives in Nelson and is on the selection committee and keeps her parents well informed. They have visited the Nelson Branch a couple of times, and talked about the scholarship. The University of Idaho offers a wide range of studies, and it is possible to cross credit subjects towards degrees at New Zealand universities.

Purpose of award

This application is for a one-year period of undergraduate study at the University of Idaho, USA from January to December.