For more than 35 years, Wagga Wagga City Council has backed local students to chase big goals, and bring their skills back to regional Australia, through its long‑standing scholarship with the Charles Sturt University Foundation Trust.
Through its partnership with the Trust, Council encourages students who live within the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area to pursue tertiary study, particularly in fields critical to regional Australia such as health, education and community services.
That legacy continues in 2026, with the Wagga Wagga City Council Scholarship presented to Isabelle Walker, a first‑year nursing student at the Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga campus scholarship ceremony on Thursday 14 May.
In presenting the scholarship, Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Dallas Tout said Council has long recognised education as one of the strongest investments it can make in the future of Wagga Wagga.
"Council's scholarship is about more than financial support," Cr Tout said.
"It represents a community standing behind its young people - removing barriers, opening doors and backing local potential.
"When we support local students, we're not just helping individuals, we're strengthening the future workforce and wellbeing of regional communities."
That commitment came full circle at the Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga graduation ceremonies on 14 – 16 April 2026, where more than 600 students graduated.
Among the graduands was 2023 Wagga Wagga City Council Scholarship recipient Isabella Batcheldor‑Weule who graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing.
The mayor attended the ceremonies and had the chance to meet with Isabella, who is currently working as a registered nurse at Goulburn Base Hospital - close enough to stay connected to home and firmly grounded in the values shaped here in the Riverina.
"Isabella's journey shows what's possible when talent is matched with opportunity," Cr Tout said.
From classrooms to careers, Council is proud to play a meaningful role in helping local students build futures that strengthen our region - now and for generations to come.
