BELBORA’S Candice Skelton is one of 40 young recipients of the federal government’s new Colombo scholarship.
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Candice will spend several months studying in Hong Kong from August as part of the plan, which encourages Australia’s best and brightest undergraduates to live, study and gain work experience in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Candice, who is nearing the end of her three-year Animal Science degree at the University of Western Sydney, will use the time to further her aspirations of working in wildlife conservation.
“The campus is really close to a big wildlife park, which has a lot of environmental initiatives and wildlife conservation projects going on,” she said.
Ms Skelton, who attended Gloucester High until year 9 then completed her studies in Sydney, said it had been a rigorous process to receive the scholarship.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop and the Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove announced the successful scholarship fellows last Wednesday.
“I had to submit multiple applications and do two interviews,” Ms Skelton said.
“They flew everyone to Canberra for the awards ceremony, which included workshops and meetings with former ambassadors and the Prime Minister.”
Lyne MP David Gillespie said the scholarship presented a unique opportunity for Ms Skelton.
“It is great to see a bright and talented student from our electorate given the opportunity to enhance their education and further develop their understanding of the region,” he said.
“Candice will be hosted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong and will undertake courses in biology during her placement.”
Candice is keen to secure a job with the conservation project Devil Ark upon graduating from university. She is currently in Tasmania completing a film project for her degree on the plight of the Tasmanian devil.