September 18, 2020
First year uni students from Yarraman and Cooyar will be eligible to apply for a new scholarship next year at the University of Southern Queensland.
A partnership arrangement between USQ and renewable energy company ACCIONA has resulted in the creation of the MacIntyre Wind Farm Scholarship.
The inaugural scholarship is now open to students from towns in three local government areas – the Toowoomba, Southern Downs and Goondiwindi council areas – closest to the MacIntyre Wind Farm project.
The inaugural scholarship offered in 2021 will be worth $2000.
The scholarship will then be offered each year in perpetuity, funded from a USQ endowment fund.
ACCIONA has invested $100,000 into the fund for the next three years, matched by a $200,000 donation from USQ.
ACCIONA managing director Brett Wickham said an important feature of the endowment scholarship arrangement was that as interest grows in the investment fund, more money will be made available to support an increased number of recipients over coming years
“The enduring nature of the scholarship arrangement was an appealing opportunity for the company as we acknowledge that investing in the Darling Downs community isn’t just about infrastructure,” Mr Wickham said.
“We see ourselves being a part of the region for a minimum of 25 to 30 years, so partnering with USQ is the ideal platform for ACCIONA to provide ongoing support to local students,” he said.
Applications for the MacIntyre Wind Farm Scholarship are now open. More information is available online
Construction of the 1026MW MacIntyre Wind Farm, about 50km south-west of Warwick, is due to begin in mid-2021.
