Pictured: 2023 Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship recipient Archie Triggs  

Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship & Peter Connor Book Award

   

The Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship (GGMS) is valued at $10,000 and $3,000 for the Peter Connor Book Award. Since the awards were first introduced in 2001, over 40 agriculture students have benefited from the generosity and foresight of SunRice, Rice Research and rice industry supporters. In response, most of these students have returned to our communities and farms with leading edge knowledge to help strengthen and rejuvenate our agricultural industry. 

 

This financial support helps alleviate financial pressures, purchases the bulk of textbooks, and facilitates greater focus on university study. It also enables students to move away from home and study at a time when otherwise this may not be possible, particularly during drought years and other times of hardship.

 

The scholarships have the following eligibility criteria:

 

  • Applicants must be the child/grandchild or nominated employee* of:
    • A current financial member of RGA and/or,
    • an A-Class share holder and/or,
    • a grower who has grown rice in the last 3 years including C23. 
  • Applicants must be in their second or successive year of studying at an Australian tertiary institution; and
  • Applicants need to demonstrate a commitment to the rice industry.
  • Recipients of the Peter Connor Book Award are eligible for GGMS.
  • Recipients of the Jan Cathcart Scholarship are ineligible for the GGMS.
  • Recipients who have previously been awarded a GGMS are ineligible for the Peter Connor Book Award.

*a nominated employee must have worked within the rice farming business for more than 6 months. 

 

A bit of background about the scholarships…

The scholarships are named after two past leaders of the rice industry.

 The Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship (GGMS) was set up to assist the agricultural education of members of the Ricegrowers’ Association; or their family, to assist in studying a full-time, agriculturally-based course at any Australian tertiary institution.

The Peter Connor Book award was introduced at the same time; in conjunction with the Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship, to the runner-up for the purchase of books.

Greg Graham was president of the RGA in 1983 and had served as Secretary of the Deniliquin Branch of the RGA, was Chairman of the Southern Riverina Irrigation Districts Council, a Councillor for the Shire of Murray and a Member of the Murray Region Development Board.  He was also one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the NSW Irrigators’ Council.  Greg had a great admiration and confidence in the future of young people and this scholarship recognises the dedication, commitment and humility of this good man.

Peter Connor was a leading rice grower in the Coleambally district and served as Vice President of the Coleambally Branch and delegate to the RGA’s Central Executive between 1975 and 1982.  Peter was also a Director of the Ricegrowers’ Cooperative Mills Ltd.

The Scholarship was not available in 2008, but in 2009 it resumed with the generous support of the McCaughey Memorial Institute and Rice Research Australia Ltd.

 

 

 

 

The late Greg Graham. 

Past Recipients

 

The Greg Graham Memorial Scholarship was awarded to:

2024 Niamh Mason from Berriquin Branch

2023 Archie Riggs from Mirool Branch

2022 Thomas Hatty from Berriquin Branch

2021 Tom Mannes from Coleambally Branch

- 2020 George Payne from Coleambally Branch

- 2019 Dominic Morona from Deniliquin Branch

- 2018 Benjamin Seamer from Berriquin Branch

- 2017 Allister Clarke from Berriquin Branch

- 2016 Jackson Byrnes from Hay Branch

- 2015 Charleton Glenn from Wakool Branch

 

The Peter Connor Book Award

was awarded to:

2024 Laura Hatty from Berriquin Branch

2023 Olivia Mauger from Berriquin Branch

2022 Tiarna Burke from Berriquin Branch

- 2021 James McCaw from Berriquin Branch

- 2020 Nicholas O’Connor from Deniliquin Branch

- 2019 Annabel Arnold from Berriquin Branch

- 2018 Dominic Morona from Deniliquin Branch

- 2017 Benjamin Seamer from Berriquin Branch

- 2016 Jack Hogan from Coleambally Branch

- 2015 Daniel Andreazza from Mirrool Branch

 

 

 

Jan Cathcart Memorial Scholarship

Applications for the 2024 Jan Cathcart Memorial Scholarship are now closed.

Find out more by visiting the SunRice website.

 

SunRice is pleased to announce that the 2022 recipient of the Jan Cathcart Memorial Scholarship is Rebecca Groat, from Myall Park near Griffith in the NSW Riverina. The scholarship of up to $30,000 will support Rebecca’s studies as she pursues of a Bachelor of Environmental Science degree, majoring in Climate Science and Sustainability at Charles Sturt University.

 

Valued at $10,000 a year for up to three years of tertiary study, the scholarship is designed to support women pursuing a career in agriculture, and has been awarded to the following women. 


• 2022: Tiarna Burke, Coree NSW, and Lily Delves, Hanwood NSW.

• 2022: Rebecca Groat, Myall Park NSW.

• 2021: Charlie Reilly, Leeton NSW.
• 2020: Alexandra Morona, Deniliquin NSW.
• 2019: Emily Fasham, Wakool NSW.
• 2018: Annabel Arnold, Berrigan NSW.
• 2017: Sarah Cudmore, Benerembah NSW.
• 2016: Millie Mertz, Moulamein NSW.
• 2016: Elise Wilson, Coleambally NSW.
• 2015: Samantha Glenn, Moulamein NSW.
• 2015: Zoe Reynoldson, Berrigan NSW.


About Jan Cathcart
Jan was an integral part of the Australian rice industry for more than 43 years, commencing work at the Rice Marketing Board in November 1971 on completion of her secondary education. She joined the SunRice Grower Services team in 1985, maintaining a strong and close relationship with growers, shareholders and industry colleagues throughout her entire working life. Jan’s life and career achievements are recognised through this scholarship.