New Zealand STEM students receive a helping hand

Five promising students set to study STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in 2020 have today been announced the recipients of BP’s Innovation Scholarship programme, which will see each student receive $1,000 towards their tertiary studies next year. 

The 2019 recipients come from across the country and have been recognised for their innovative efforts at school, which include starting a business to fight period poverty and designing a park bench from recycled materials to reduce waste. 

The recipients are:

• Alex Paish from Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls – accepted into Victoria University for a Bachelor of Science, Biotechnology and Psychology

• Jamie Nichols from St Johns College in Hastings – accepted into the University of Canterbury for a Double Degree in Industrial Product Design and Commerce

• Finn Johnston from Onehunga High School – accepted into the University of Auckland for a Bachelor of Engineering

• Ivana Jurasovic from Waitakere College – accepted into AUT for a Bachelor of Environmental Science

• Rawinder Singh from Pukekohe High School – accepted into the University of Canterbury for a Bachelor of Product Design

BP New Zealand Managing Director Debi Boffa, says, “Our five winners all have bright futures ahead of them. Each of them was selected because we could see evidence of a real passion for innovation and environmental change in their applications. It’s our hope that this grant will ease the financial pressure of their tertiary education and help them as they embark on this new life stage.” 

The scholarship programme is in its second year and aims to help ease the financial load of students passionate about pursuing studies in STEM subjects. Each student who applied for the scholarship was required to have participated in a Young Enterprise programme and have secured a place studying a STEM-related Degree at a tertiary institution the following year. 

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For further information contact: Leigh Taylor | Communications & External Affairs Manager | BP New Zealand | Phone 021 715 986  

About the 26-year BP and Young Enterprise partnership: Since 1993, BP has helped Young Enterprise in identifying and acknowledging young Kiwis who show initiative and passion for developing new ideas, products and services. BP sees fostering the next generation of Kiwi business leaders as good for business and great for New Zealand and is proud to be supporting the next generation of NZ business leaders.

In 2012, BP worked with the team at Young Enterprise to launch the BP Business Challenge. The BP Business Challenge is aimed at year 11 students and is a unique three-day experiential learning programme where students develop skills, understandings and attitudes about how a successful business operates. In 2018, BP introduced the BP Innovation Scholarship programme which sees five students receive $1,000 each to support study in STEM subjects at a tertiary level the following year.