ANU Tuckwell Scholars meet Australia's Governor-General

The ANU Tuckwell Scholars have met with Australia's Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), and Lady Cosgrove at Government House.

Sir Peter said he and Lady Cosgrove were thrilled to host the 2014 and 2015 Tuckwell Scholars.

"It is just the most wonderful thing to see the elite intellects. Nothing to do with background, geography or even your ATARs. It's to do with some very experienced people and their view of your potential to excel and to lead," Sir Peter said.

"You are in that unique position as people striving for excellence within academia to lead by excelling, by example. I think it is a wonderful thing.

"It means by your own work and own genius that you will inspire all around you and that is a wonderful form of leadership."

Two Tuckwell Scholars, Mary Parker and Guy Leckenby, met with Sir Peter and Lady Cosgrove ahead of the reception as a representative of each of their cohorts.

"It's an amazing privilege and not an opportunity that every university student gets," said Mary who is a 2015 Tuckwell Scholar.

"They are both very down to earth people. They were really just interested in what we were studying and how we were finding university.

"It is definitely something that I will remember for the rest of my life."

Guy, who is part of the inaugural 2014 Tuckwell Scholar group, said when he told a friend he was meeting the Governor-General she was shocked.

"When you are a Tuckwell Scholar you get these opportunities that that you can't get anywhere else which is pretty amazing feeling."