One EIT business student received a significant boost towards her business degree studies this week when she was selected for this year’s Gisborne Financial Assistance Scholarship.

Mikayla Craill, who has just completed her first year’s studies, was given $3000 towards completing her degree.

The scholarship is from the local branch of the Chartered Accountants Association, supported by the Eastland Group and three Gisborne Accountancy firms, Graham and Dobson, Flavell and Chamberlain and Coates Associates. These organisations provide up to three scholarships a year, depending on the number of applications.

Mikayla was selected on the basis of her excellent results this year, her ambitions and attitude, and her contribution to school life and the community.

She works part time with Chrisp and Davidson, who are helping mentor her through her studies.

Mikayla says she chose to study her degree in Gisborne, because she enjoys the smaller sized classes and the support she receives through EIT staff and her family, not to mention the lower cost of living. She wants to become a chartered accountant  and is working towards the degree in business studies majoring in accounting.

Eastland Group chief financial officer Aaron Snodgrass said he had seen some very good graduates coming out of EIT’s programme and he was confident Mikayla would be one of them.

BDO chartered accountant Cathy Moorcroft, who chairs the Chartered Accountants Australia and  New Zealand Gisborne-East Coast leadership group, said that while the group wanted to encourage top quality graduates who might remain in the district, they welcomed scholarship applications from all those studying in various parts of the local business sector.