2014 Tuckwell Scholars announced

The search for Australia’s brightest scholars has come to a close with the announcement of the 25 successful recipients of the Graham & Louise Tuckwell Foundation scholarships.

“We’ve ended up with the best students for the class of 2014,” said Mr Tuckwell.

“We were after a highly talented group of students from all around Australia; from the city, from the country, from private schools, from Catholic schools, from government schools. That’s what we’ve got.”

The scholars were chosen from a shortlist of 72 students who spent a weekend at ANU undertaking a series of individual and group interviews. The original call for scholars received 657 applications of which 217 were invited to the next stage of online assessments.

Selection panellist and Nobel Laureate Professor Brian Schmidt said the successful applicants were the best of the best.

“The thing that really excited me was I saw 72 people here, every one of whom I wanted in my class,” he said.

“They are really great thinkers, they are interesting people and they really just want to learn. Those are the people we want here at ANU.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Young AO said the students would bring a great deal to ANU.

“We are delighted to welcome such an outstanding group of talented and passionate young people to our community.”

The scholars will receive $20,000 a year for the length of a single or double undergraduate degree as well as ongoing academic and career mentoring. They will live in student accommodation and be encouraged to pursue community service and extracurricular activities.

The Tuckwell Scholarship Program was established by ANU alumnus Graham Tuckwell and his wife Louise in February. Their $50 million gift to the University was the largest ever donation to an Australian university by an Australian citizen.

Below is a list of successful applicants.

State breakdown of 72 shortlisted students:

• ACT – 4
• NSW – 31
• NT -3
• QLD – 11
• SA -2
• TAS – 5
• VIC -13
• WA – 2

Tuckwell Scholars class of 2014

NSW

• Matthew Barton, Armidale, Duval High School
• Sarah Campbell, Bega, Bega High School
• Marcus Dahl, Sydney, Sydney Grammar School
• Joseph Dean, Sapphire Beach, Bishop Druitt College
• Catherine Hall, Richmond, Frensham
• Hannah Harmelin, Gladesville, Fort Street High School
• Matthew Jacob, Carlingford, The King’s School
• Jakub Nabaglo, Goulburn, Mulwaree High School
• Abirami Rajkumar, Sydney, Hornsby Girls' High School
• Phoebe Skuse, Sydney, St Catherine’s
• Samantha Terry, Dorrigo, Bellingen High School
• Guy Leckenby, Coffs Harbour, Coffs Harbour Senior College
• Morgan Marshall, Gladesville, Hunters Hill High School

VIC

• Janet Davey, Hawthorn, Ruyton Girls' School
• Sam Wen Huang, Melbourne, University High School
• Catherine Perry, Toorak, Presbyterian Ladies' College
• Bryce Robinson, Melton South, Catholic Regional College: Melton Campus
• Samuel Saunders, Frankston South, Woodleigh School
• Sorin Zota, Melborune, Scotch College Melbourne

ACT

• Lucy Kirk, Gowrie, Erindale College

QLD

• Alex Miles, Toowoomba, Downlands College
• Elena Pleass, Pelican Waters, Sunshine Coast Grammar School
• Katie Ward, Brisbane, Brisbane Girls Grammar School

WA

• Harry Main, South Perth, Wesley College

TAS

• Jessica Woolnough, Oldina, Hellyer College