Tarrington 19-year-old prospective architect Angus Campbell has been awarded this year's $30,000 Salt Creek wind farm scholarship.
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He attended an interview with the selection committee in Mortlake earlier this month and blew the panel away with his maturity, determination, resilience, drive and community spirit.
Mr Campbell said being awarded the scholarship meant a lot.
"It means I'll be financial security while I'm at uni in Geelong," he said.
"I'll be able to focus on my studies and the scholarship reduces that stress of how I'm going to afford to stay there, not just by chewing through my gap year savings.
"That pressure is now gone. It's a big load off my mind."
The student who heads to uni on February 14, said he had been targeting architecture for about four years.
"I'm not 100 per cent sure on what I will focus on, but I'm interested in education or community spaces and centres - something that people can benefit from and grow from," he said.
"I would rather that aspect rather than houses or hotels - more towards community minded design."
Mr Campbell has packed a lot into his 19 years, including being voted by his peers and staff to be school leader at Hamilton's Monivae College in year 12.
He is the first member of his family to be accepted into university and will study architectural design at Deakin University in Geelong.
The scholarship will fund his residency at Deakin's Waterfront residential campus.
Mr Campbell aspires to be an architect who designs buildings and spaces that benefit the community and the welfare of people.
This year the selection panel received 23 applicants from across the Western District and shortlisted eight for interview.
The scholarship will be officially awarded at Salt Creek in Woorndoo on Tuesday February 16.
Previous scholarship recipients Michael Loughhead and Ethan Lewis will also be in attendance at the ceremony.
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