PORT AUTHORITY SEARCH FOR STAR STUDENTS

The search is on to find five West Wales students to receive a total of £6,000 – part of the Milford Haven Port Authority scholarship fund.

This is the third year that the Authority has offered the award open to four undergraduates and one post graduate. To qualify students must be in at least their second year of an undergraduate degree course at a British university. They must have in the past resided in Pembrokeshire and have spent the majority of their secondary education in the county. The four successful candidates will receive £1,000 each to help towards their studies.

There are no residential qualifications for the post graduate award – worth £2,000. The criteria is that it will be given to a student reading a subject relevant to the role and activities of the Port Authority – such as maritime or environmental studies, business, finance or tourism etc.

Last year competition for the award was so keen that the Port Authority chose five students and gave an extra £1,000 award. The lucky five were: – Hannah Polacarz and Jo-De Williams, both studying medicine at the University of Wales; Beverley Wilson, studying at London’s Royal Veterinary College; Claire Jones, a student of the Royal College of Music; and Rachel Evans, reading English & French at Exeter. The post graduate award was won by Hugh Smith, a PhD student at Cardiff University studying earth, ocean and atmospheric science.

Applications for this year are now invited and a shortlist will be drawn up. Interviews will be held in December, with the finalists being announced in January 2006.

Said Port Authority chief executive, Ted Sangster: “Milford Haven Port Authority sees this award as an important initiative in encouraging and supporting local young people in their studies.

“The award is now in its third year and we have been delighted at the response. In fact last year competition was so keen we decided to award an extra £1,000 to a fifth undergraduate.”

All applications must be with the Port Authority no later than 25th November. Further details and a downloadable application form are available from www.mhpa.co.uk