Heritage scholarship with a fascinating legacy

More than 50 years ago, Ella Syme Everard (nee Russell) bequeathed her estate of approximately $260,000 (the equivalent of approximately $3.2 million AUD today) to the University of Adelaide to establish scholarships in the memory of her late husband, Charles John Everard.

Ella and Charles were married in April 1915 and, sadly, Charles passed away just two months later of pneumonia aged 33 years old.

At the time of his passing, Charles John Everard was one of the foundation settlers at Renmark where he was in the process of developing an orchard.

Jack Kelly

Jack Kelly, 2022 recipient of the Charles John Everard Scholarship.

The Charles John Everard Scholarship was first awarded in 1972 and continues to be awarded annually to students commencing a full-time Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in agricultural or horticultural science at the University.

The 2021 scholarship recipient, Elisabeth Williamson, said the financial support has allowed her to focus on her research and increased the credibility of her professional portfolio.

“The scholarship has provided me with opportunities for networking and collaboration as I've had the chance to attend conferences, workshops, and seminars relevant to my field,” Elisabeth said.

“The Charles John Everard scholarship has offered me numerous benefits that have enhanced my academic and professional growth, and I am grateful to have been awarded this PhD scholarship.”

Jack Kelly, who was a 2022 recipient, said the scholarship allowed him to dedicate more time to writing and data collection, which will help improve the publication rate in the earlier phase of his candidature.

“My scholarship has also assisted with equipment purchases for my home office and watering equipment for my plants. This has helped improve my experiments and writing,” Jack said.

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