WASTE industry entrepreneur Peter Jenkins has pledged $180,000 to fund a new scholarship program at Murdoch University for students from the Kwinana area.
The scholarship will be funded by Waste Stream Management, of which Mr Jenkins is chairman.
The WSM Scholarship scheme will run for six years and fund the university education of 12 students living within the Town of Kwinana.
Each recipient of the scheme will be supported for every year of a four-year undergraduate program.
The recipients will be able to use the funds for university fees, books, accommodation and other education-related costs.
Mr Jenkins said he hoped the agreement would give something back to the local community.
“It’s about being good corporate citizens, really, and this was a perfect opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the community and to support local people,” he said.
“These scholarships are designed to support students who are in genuine need of financial help. They will help to relieve the financial pressure of university study and enable the recipients to concentrate on doing well in their chosen program.”
Mr Jenkins said the company had developed a strong connection with the Kwinana community after 15 years in the area.
“Ninety per cent of our staff at Kwinana are from the local area and have family links with the town, it’s a great opportunity to help some promising young people striving for success,” he said.
Murdoch University director of student life and learning, Marian Kemp, said that the scholarship program was great news for the Kwinana community and an exciting development at Murdoch.
“We are thrilled that Waste Stream Management has made this generous donation, it will not only help individual students, but is an investment in the future of the Kwinana community,” she said.
Murdoch University is now accepting applications for the 2012 set of scholarships, which will be presented to recipients in March.