The new year will see two Illawarra business people making preparations for further study after the region's peak networking body and university joined forces to offer two MBA Scholarships.
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The Illawarra Connection and University of Wollongong Sydney Business School recently offered two postgraduate scholarships to businesses who are part of TIC.
They were invited to nominate a member of their staff and the two recipients were named at a black tie dinner late last year.
In announcing the two winners, Sydney Business School business development manager Rochelle Jeffery said there were many outstanding applicants for the annual scholarship in 2014, and it was so hard choosing one recipient, that two scholarships were granted.
Mrs Jeffery was part of a scholarship committee made up of members of The Illawarra Connection board and the Sydney Business School and after careful consideration postgraduate scholarship opportunities were offered to Mike Leask and Clare Leslie.
Mr Leask, of SV Partners, was awarded The Illawarra Connection MBA Scholarship for a Masters of Business Administration.
He is a former chief executive of the Illawarra Business Chamber, recently became vice-president of the Shoalhaven Business Chamber and chairman of the board of Mindblank, a not-for-profit organisation founded by another member, Ally Kelly, that generates awareness and innovative education of mental health topics in youth across Australia.
He was part of the first cohort to participate in the Leadership Illawarra Program run by the Sydney Business School and initiated by TIC and RDA Illawarra.
After completing that leadership course late last year he was involved in the participants registering their own body called Leadership Illawarra as an incorporated entity and wants to start a Leadership Illawarra Program alumni so those who have already taken part can become mentors for future participants.
Ms Leslie, of Lifeline South Coast, was awarded a partial MBA scholarship on behalf of Sydney Business School. She works with TIC member and South Coast centre manager Grahame Gould and is a marketing and PR manager.