Special Projects of the Sidney Myer Fund

Merlyn Myer Leadership Awards        Merlyn Myer Scholarship

A number of special projects have been initiated to reflect the interests of the Myer family and to address community needs.  The following projects are currently being funded through the Sidney Myer Fund.

Merlyn Myer Leadership Awards

Dame Merlyn Myer’s four grand daughters marked the hundredth anniversary of her birth in the year 2000 by funding the Merlyn Myer Leadership Awards.

The Awards recognise Year 11 secondary school students with leadership potential who are keen to achieve and are motivated to assist other people.  The Award winners are students with current or potential leadership roles at school or in the community.

The Awards are run by the Foundation for Young Australians.  Students throughout Victoria are invited to nominate appropriate themselves for the Awards.  The Awards are designed to assist the recipients with educational costs.
 
Eight Merlyn Myer Leadership Awards are made annually and each award winner receives $2,000.  In addition, eight students receive a Merlyn Myer Role Model Award of $500 each.

The winners demonstrate many and varied attributes that make them leaders in unique ways. However, consistent for them all is an exceptional commitment to help others, extend support, encouragement and to do more than one would think possible in busy lives filled with family, school, sport, community activities and personal interests.

For more information, please contact the Foundation for Young Australians

Merlyn Myer Scholarship

Dame Merlyn Myer’s four grand daughters acknowledged her interest in agriculture, and particularly women in agriculture, by awarding a scholarship to a young woman undertaking studies at Marcus Oldham College.

Marcus Oldham College was established in 1962 as the only independent provider of rural business management education in Australia, and is now a leading rural business management college aiming to advance agriculture through innovative educational programs in Rural, Agribusiness and Equine Business Management.  The College has produced over 2500 graduates who are at the leading edge of their chosen field.

In recent years the College has worked hard at encouraging more young women to enroll in rural courses by offering unique scholarship opportunities.  The Merlyn Myer Scholarship is aimed at encouraging young women in the study of agriculture, and was started in 2004 with the inaugural scholarship winner. 

Merlyn Myer Scholarship winners received $15,000 in each of their first and third years of study to support living and education expenses.

Further information about the scholarship is available on the Marcus Oldham College website.