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Canberra Today 25°/28° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Local entrepreneurs say thanks to school

By Hannah Dreher

MORE than $1million worth of grants will be handed to college students over the next 10 years thanks to local entrepreneurs John De Margheriti and Steve Wang.

Mr De Margheriti, a co-founder of Academy of Interactive Entertainment, and Mr Wang, also a computer games and software developer, are offering a combination of cash grants and AIE scholarships, to the value of $1.4 million, to the brightest college students.

“We are making a private investment into our college students who are the future innovators and business people of the ACT and our country,” said John De Margheriti, chairman of the AIE.

“If even one student, or group of students, start up a micro business that grows into something more, then our investment will have been worth every cent,” Steve Wang said.

“It could mean millions to the local economy and increased job prospects in the ACT – really it’s all about a vision to create and maintain jobs for our children.”

Mr De Margheriti and Mr Wang are both Hawker College alumni. Although Hawker college will be the primary benefactor of the program, parts of the program will also be extended to other ACT colleges.

AIE first year scholarships will be available to all ACT senior colleges annually.

Cash grants for De Margheriti – Wang prize for mathematics and De Margheriti – Wang prize for information technology will be available to: Hawker College; Canberra College; Melba Copland Secondary School; Dickson College; Erindale College; Gungahlin College; University of Canberra Senior Secondary College; Lake Tuggeranong College; and Narrabundah College.

Cash grants available to Hawker college alone, are: De Margheriti – Wang prize for entrepreneurship; De Margheriti – Wang prize for digital media; and De Margheriti – Wang prize for graphic design.

The program’s launch event will be held on Friday at Hawker College.

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