OSU Scholar

The Scholar's Dinner this year was held at the home of Dr Vallance and Mrs Vallance on Thursday 8 May 2008.

Among those attending were members of the OSU committee and their partners and Director of Development Erica Aronsten. This year's OSU Scholar, David Southwood was accompanied by his parents.

David Southwood (l) is congratulated by Leon Shohmelian.

The concept for an Old Boys' Scholarship Fund ‘for the assistance of poor boys of ability’ was mooted in 1895. However it was not until the four years of the First World War (1914-1918) that as a result of an increase in the OSU's financial stability that the Union established the Old Sydneian's Union Scholarship which was to be awarded to a Fifth Form boy each year ‘to the most outstanding boy in scholarship, sport and influence among his fellows the award being made along the lines of the Rhodes Scholarship’.

In 1916 the OSU awarded its first scholarship and it has continued that practice until today.

A list of candidates, selected by a committee chaired by the Headmaster, is submitted to the Union. The committee of the Union then interviews each candidate. The recipient of the Scholarship currently receives $5000. Although the OSU does not direct how the money should be spent, it has lately seen the Scholarship as an appropriate way of fostering overseas travel.

The recipient of the Scholarship is announced by the Headmaster at Speech day and his name is then entered on the OSU Scholarship Honour Board in Big School