To mark the twentieth anniversary of the Elliot Scholarships, the Trustees inaugurated a special award known as the Sir George Elliot Fellowship.
The Fellowship is awarded from time to time at the discretion of the Trustees to a Scholar whose work since receiving an Elliot Scholarship is regarded as having made a significant contribution to that Scholar’s field of endeavour, or who has exhibited outstanding community leadership or contribution.
There are now seventy Elliot Scholars at all levels of advancement and many have gone on to be leaders in their chosen professions and vocations. Others have taken up and are leading causes of real community significance.
The award of an original Elliot Scholarship is based on the promise a candidate shows of academic success and community leadership, promise that has been proven by their resilience in the face of adverse life circumstances. The inauguration of the Elliot Fellowship is by way of both encouragement and reward. It is an encouragement by the Trustees for Scholars to strive to fulfill the promise they have shown, and it is a reward for those whose achievements are especially deserving of recognition. The Fellowship is marked with a substantial monetary award set from time to time by the Trustees, a presentation diploma and a commemorative New Zealand art work .
The Trustees have initiated the Fellowship on the basis that they will make inquiries from time to time about the work being done by Elliot Scholars. But Scholars may submit their work or their community contribution for consideration at any time. It will then be assessed and a decision will be made as to whether and when to award an Elliot Fellowship.
The first Fellowship was conferred in 2022 on 2008 Elliot Scholar, Dr Oscar Lyons, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the field of medical leadership.
To find out more about the Sir George Elliot Fellowship, read here the Elliot Fellowship regulations June 2019