Gardiner Foundation has announced 12 recipients of its 2026 Tertiary Scholarships, investing $705,000 to support students studying in fields critical to the future of Victoria’s dairy industry and regional communities.
The 2026 intake includes more scholarship recipients than previous years, responding to growing workforce pressures across health, engineering, veterinary science, food technology and agribusiness in dairy regions.
The scholarship recipients are Aaron Shuren, Elizabeth Ford, Ella Berry, Emily Benson, Evie McCosh, Hector MacAulay, Bonnie Ross, Josh Gale, Luke Dwyer, Sage Dennen, Brittney Kelly and Andrew Jeffers.
Research shows students who study in regional areas are more likely to remain there, with place of origin and regional placements playing a strong role in shaping long-term career pathways.
Gardiner’s enhanced scholarships are designed to retain skills and talent within dairy communities by strengthening pathways into study and work.
Gardiner CEO Allan Cameron said the 2026 cohort reflected a deliberate focus on people and place.
“These scholarships support talented students to study, work and build their lives in dairy regions,” Mr Cameron said.
“By linking support to regional study and placements, we are helping build the workforce dairy communities need now and into the future.”
This year’s cohort includes two scholarships supporting employees in the dairy processing sector to upskill in food science and engineering, strengthening capability across the supply chain.
Recipients are pursuing careers that address key regional gaps, including medicine in northern Victoria, engineering in Gippsland, and allied health and agricultural science across south west and Gippsland dairy regions.
The scholarships are named in honour of respected dairy leaders Neil Black, Shirley Harlock, Jakob Malmo, Bill Pyle and Doug Weir. In 2026, Gardiner has also introduced a new scholarship recognising industry legend Max Fehring.
“These scholarships are about backing potential and creating breathing room for students, while supporting the long-term strength of dairy communities,” Mr Cameron said.
2026 Scholars
Sage Deenen, 2026 Jakob Malmo Scholar. Sage, who grew up on a dairy farm in Leongatha South and attended Leongatha Secondary College, will begin a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne in 2026, with plans to progress to a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. She aims to return as a large animal veterinarian, supporting animal health and the resilience of regional dairy communities.
Emily Benson, 2026, Shirley Harlock Scholar. Emily, from Warrnambool in south west Victoria and a graduate of Emmanuel College, will study a Bachelor of Speech Pathology at Australian Catholic University’s Melbourne campus while living at St Mary’s Residential College. She plans to return to regional Victoria to improve access to allied health services for dairy communities, inspired by her family’s legacy in farming and health.
Josh Gale, 2026 Bill Pyle Scholar. Josh, from Waratah Bay in south Gippsland and a former student of Foster Secondary College, will study a Bachelor of Rural Science at the University of New England in Armidale. He aims to become a dairy farm manager and future farm owner, using advanced management practices to support the long term prosperity of the dairy industry and his local community.
Luke Dwyer, 2026 Max Fehring Scholar. Luke, from Newry in Gippsland and a former student of Catholic College Sale, will study a Bachelor of Agriculture at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. He plans to return home to run the family dairy farm and is committed to mentoring the next generation of dairy farmers through his involvement in local sport and surf lifesaving.
Elizabeth Ford, 2026 Doug Weir Scholar. Elizabeth, from Tatura and a former student of Goulburn Valley Grammar School, will study a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science at Monash University’s Clayton campus. She is passionate about applying innovation, renewable energy and data analytics to support the dairy industry and regional communities.
Aaron Shuren, 2026 Niel Black Scholar. Aaron, from Mooroopna and a former student of Notre Dame College Shepparton, will study a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Medical) at La Trobe University, with plans to progress to a Doctor of Medicine. He has volunteered at Goulburn Valley Health and aims to return to regional Victoria as a junior doctor, supporting communities like his own.
Hector MacAulay, 2026 Niel Black Scholar. Hector, from Jack River in south east Gippsland and a former student of Yarram Secondary College, will study a Bachelor of Agriculture at the University of Melbourne. He plans to pursue a career as an agronomist, helping dairy farmers apply the latest science to improve productivity and sustainability in his home region.
Evie McCosh, 2026 Niel Black Scholar. Evie, from Warrnambool and a former student of Emmanuel College, will study a Bachelor of Podiatry (Honours) at La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus. She plans to return to south west Victoria to establish a mobile podiatry clinic, providing essential foot care to dairy farmers and rural communities, inspired by her family’s farming background and leadership experience as school captain.
Ella Berry, 2026 Geoffrey Gardiner scholar. Ella, from Glen Alvie in south Gippsland and a graduate of Newhaven College, will study a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne, focusing on engineering and innovation for the dairy sector. After a gap year working full time on her family’s dairy farm, she plans to return to south Gippsland to help make new technology more accessible for farmers and drive industry progress.
Bonnie Ross, 2026 Geoffrey Gardiner scholar. Bonnie, from Heath Hill in south east Victoria, will study a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at the University of Tasmania. Active in Gippsland Dairy Youth and local fundraising for farmers, she plans to return to her family farm and help promote dairy careers to the next generation.
Andrew Jeffers, 2026 Geoffrey Gardiner scholar. Andrew, based in Shepparton, is the Reliability and Maintenance Lead at Noumi, where he has spent seven years progressing from hands on technical roles to leading teams focused on plant reliability, automation and process innovation. In 2026, he will study a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Automation Engineering at the Engineering Institute of Technology, building on a track record of developing digital tools, mentoring junior staff and driving continuous improvement.
Brittany Kelly, 2026 Geoffrey Gardiner scholar. Brittney, from Stanhope in northern Victoria, works as a Quality Technician at Fonterra and will study a Certificate IV in Food Science and Technology at GOTAFE Wangaratta. She aims to deepen her expertise in food science and progress to a Quality Coordinator role, supporting the dairy industry’s focus on quality and safety.