Support Provided by the PSW Trust
In addition to substantial financial support, the trust employs a mentor based in Dunedin to keep in contact with the students throughout the academic year. The mentor is a confidential point of contact should the students need assistance with course decisions, peer relationship difficulties, fitting into their college, the routine of study or generally settling into university life.
ABOUT PSW TRUST
Miss Priscilla Sandys Wunsch died in 2000 leaving a legacy to establish a testamentary trust to assist Taranaki students to attend Otago University in recognition of the years she herself spent studying at Otago, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1945. Priscilla wished to give Taranaki students who needed financial assistance the opportunity to study for a degree at Otago University.
The Trust has now supported several hundred students to attend Otago University and to obtain undergraduate degrees in a wide range of disciplines. Scholarships to first year students are generally paid to the residential colleges as a substantial contribution to those accommodation costs.
The current board of Trustees are all themselves Otago University graduates, and includes two previous PSW scholars.
Front (from left): Secretary Barbara Brockie, Chair MaryAnne Costelloe, Trustee Margaret Harrop
Back (from left): Trustee Kelsi Freer, Trustee Miaana Patene
The University of Otago
The University of Otago, founded in 1869 by an ordinance of the Otago Provincial Council, is New Zealand’s oldest university.
Although the University’s main campus is in Dunedin, it also has Health Sciences campuses in Christchurch (University of Otago, Christchurch) and Wellington (University of Otago, Wellington) (established in 1972 and 1977 respectively), an information and teaching centre in central Auckland (1996), and an information office in Wellington (2001).