Scholarships

Acorn Foundation Beverly Perszyk Scholarship

The Acorn Foundation Beverly Perszyk Scholarship aims to financially assist students who are the first in their family/whānau to undertake full-time undergraduate study, and who are studying at the University of Waikato in Tauranga. Priority will be given to those who are achieving academic success, while personal challenges/hardship may also be taken into consideration.

To be eligible, applicants must also:

• have completed and successfully passed all papers in their first year of study; and
• have completed and successfully passed all papers in the following year(s) of study (if any); and
• be intending to re-enrol full-time (a full-time academic year comprises 120-points) in the following year of an undergraduate degree at the University of Waikato in Tauranga; and
• be accepted into their programme of study; and
• be a New Zealand citizen of permanent resident.

The scholarship has a value of $4,000 and will have a maximum tenure of one year.

In selecting the successful applicant for the scholarship, the Selection Panel will take into particular consideration the applicant’s commitment to succeed at university and to study at the Tauranga Campus.

Applications for the scholarship must be received by the University of Waikato Scholarships Office on the prescribed form by 15 October for study in the same year.

About Beverly Perszyk:

Beverly Perszyk was born and raised in the United States during the Great Depression. She was the only one of eight siblings not to attend a tertiary institution. Instead, she got a good job at City Hall on the Monday following her last day at school. 

Although she did not attend university, she spoke of the transformative effects tertiary education can have. 

Beverly became (as her sister-in-law put it) a ‘teacher unaware’ in many lives. During her lifetime Beverly shared her words of wisdom with others. 

Beverly lived with multiple sclerosis for 58 of her nearly 88 years. While MS impaired her physically, it did not (and could not) touch her intellect, great sense of humour, independent spirit, and resilience. 

The Acorn Foundation Beverly Perszyk Scholarship was established in 2020 to support first-in-family students pursuing university education at the University of Waikato Tauranga Campus.