An East Auckland student of Indian origin was among 35 students who were awarded the Freemasons Scholarship this year.
Sanket Srinivasa of Pakuranga received a Postgraduate Scholarship valued at $100,000 from the Duke of Gloucester Prince Richard at a ceremony held at the Wellington Town Hall on May 21.
The Duke is the founding Chancellor of the University of Worcester. He was on a brief visit to New Zealand.
Sanket won the Scholarship for his thesis, Novel Strategies to Enhance Recovery after Major Colorectal Surgery.
A PhD student at the University of Auckland, he hopes to become an Academic General Surgeon. He works at a clinic to gather medical experience.
A press note said that he also supervises undergraduate medical students in basic research projects and lectures on theoretical material and practical skills.
“He has assisted in designing a part of the undergraduate surgical curriculum.
“Recently married, Sanket supports his wife in her medical career. He enjoys cricket and is involved in the Auckland Marathi Association where he is helping with programmes and activities relevant to a younger generation,” the press note said.
The Scholarships are funded out of Freemasons Charity, stated to be one of the largest privately funded university scholarship programmes.
The Charity awards scholarships valued at $250,000 every year to students who show promise. These include ten postgraduate scholarships of $10,000 each and 25 university scholarships of $6000 each.
Established 32 years ago, the Freemasons Scholarships (valued in excess of $3.5 million) have thus far benefited 922 students at the Auckland, AUT, Canterbury, Lincoln, Massey, Otago, Victoria and Waikato Universities.
Freemasons Grand Secretary Laurence Milton said applicants must be consistent A-grade students completing their degrees, playing an active role in their community.
“We have helped psychologists studying subjects as varied as the causes of depression in ante-natal couples, deliberate self-injury, and brothers and sisters of cancer survivors. Scientists will progress their study in mechatronics, neurophysiology and medical physics, while other Freemasons scholars will make their mark in a variety of careers,” he said.
