Lata reflects on South Waikato Mayoral Scholarship experience
Since being awarded the South Waikato District Council Mayoral Scholarship back in 2019, Eshrita Lata has completed a full circle to end up back serving her community as a full-time member of staff at Council.
Lata was one of two local students to receive a grant in 2019, which she used to help her go on to earn a double major in political science and sociology from the University of Waikato.
This year she started in a full-time role as a Resource Consent Planner at Council, after spending time as an intern in that area during her studies.
Lata, who was born in Fiji but has spent most of her life in the South Waikato, including attending Tokoroa High School, encouraged current local year 13 students to look closer to home as they seek scholarship opportunities for next year.
"In your last year at high school you start looking around for these opportunities and you tend to forget that you have local initiatives there to support you," Lata said.
"You can overlook that stuff amid the scholarships from universities and other places, but the South Waikato Mayoral Scholarship was a really cool opportunity from our local council to support young people from our District; I thought that was a such a cool concept."
Applications for the 2024 Mayoral Scholarship Fund are open now until 11 October, with two Scholarships to the value of $10,000 each ($2,500 per year for a maximum of four years) available.
The Scholarship Fund is open to South Waikato residents who are 21 or under and who are planning to start a full-time degree qualification next year.
South Waikato Mayor Gary Petley encouraged all eligible individuals to apply.
“This is a great opportunity for our young people to pursue their academic dreams. I strongly encourage all eligible youth to apply," Mayor Petley said.
"Your education is not just an investment in your future, but also in the future of our community. The rangatahi of South Waikato have great potential for success and we are happy to give them a jump start into their chosen field of study."
Lata added that the process to apply was straightforward and enjoyable.
"There’s an interview process which sounds nerve wracking, but they were all so sweet and it was actually really useful to prepare you for job interviews and things coming up," Lata said.
"The Council has provided so much support through the process and always been there.
"They don’t influence your major or anything like that, they just want to know that you are doing well.
"So my message to people who are eligible is to go for it, apply for it."
Since starting the Mayoral Scholarship Fund in 2006 the South Waikato District Council has helped more than 22 young people realise their study dreams and career aspirations.
