USC to offer first engineering scholarship
The University of the Sunshine Coast has established its first engineering scholarship thanks to a generous donation from local family-owned civil engineering firm Hall Contracting Pty Ltd.
In a significant gift to the University’s Building Excellence campaign, the long-time Coast family has provided $100,000 to endow the Les and Mary Hall Family Scholarship.
The gift will enable the University to each year present a $5,000 scholarship to a first-year construction engineering student, distributed over the student’s time at USC.
Hall Contracting owners, brothers Brian and Peter Hall, are the principal donors. Their gift to USC has been made to honour their parents, Les and Mary Hall, who founded Hall Contracting Pty Ltd after moving to the region in 1946.
Hall Contracting now employs more than 90 staff and carries out civil and dredging contracts all over Australia, South East Asia and the Pacific.
USC introduced two Bachelor of Engineering degrees this year, in Construction Management and in Water and Sustainable Resource Management.
The University’s Head of Engineering Professor Richard White said the degrees were of particular relevance to the Sunshine Coast, given the region’s rapid population growth and the mounting pressure on infrastructure and sustainability.
“This scholarship lifts the prestige of our new engineering offerings and also motivates our students to work extra hard to win it,” Professor White said.
More details about these degrees, and others on offer at USC, will be on display at the University’s annual Open Day on Sunday 17 August, from 10am to 3pm.
For more Open Day details, go to the USC website at <www.usc.edu.au>. For details about scholarships, bursaries and awards, contact the USC Foundation on 5430 1104.
— Terry Walsh