Hydro Tasmania Acting CEO, Ian Brooksbank, has presented a university student with the inaugural Hydro Tasmania Scholarship as part of the organisation’s partnership with The Pinnacle Foundation.
The student awarded with the scholarship was Eloise Knucky.
In May 2021, Hydro Tasmania became the first Tasmanian business to partner with The Pinnacle Foundation, a national charity that provides opportunities, mentoring and scholarships to LGBTIQ+ students aged 18 to 26, to support their full-time tertiary study.
“It is my absolute pleasure to represent Hydro Tasmania at this event, as we seek to better support and encourage young LGBTIQ+ students to follow their dreams,” Mr Brooksbank said.
“As one of Tasmania’s most iconic brands, we see our support of The Pinnacle Foundation as an opportunity to lead the way in promoting diversity and inclusion in all forms.
“At Hydro, we are committed to stamping out any discriminatory behaviour and promoting acceptance in our workplaces, so that all of our colleagues can feel safe and included.
“I would like to congratulate Ms Knucky on being the first recipient of the Hydro Tasmania Scholarship, and wish her all the best with her studies and her future.”
Ms Knucky is in her fourth year of studying a Bachelor of Medicine/Surgery at the University of Tasmania.
“I grew up in a poor area, with a mother who has schizoaffective disorder and an absentee father, and I was raised by my grandparents. This has framed my interest in healthcare,” Ms Knucky said.
“I want to work in the field of health resource allocation and advocacy, and I am passionate about the intersectionality of mental illness and the experiences of marginalised people such as queer people and migrants, in rural communities.
“I’d like to give my heartfelt thanks to Hydro Tasmania for both this scholarship, which will enable me to focus on my studies this year, and their continued interest in providing opportunities for disadvantaged young people in Tasmania a chance to succeed.”
Pinnacle Foundation Tasmanian Regional Committee Chair, Ginna Webster, said the foundation aspired to create a more diverse and inclusive society with more visible LGBTIQ+ role models.
“We know that scholarships, such as the one provided by Hydro Tasmania, go a long way to achieving that,” Ms Webster said.
“Our Pinnacle scholars feel more valued, more academically supported and have greater confidence as a result of this generous support.
“We are delighted to congratulate Eloise and welcome her to the Tasmanian Pinnacle family.”
