CLAIRE Sotiriadis, a 2012 senior student at St Mary’s College, Ipswich, is one of 12 high-achieving Queensland students recognised as part of the 2013 TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarship program.
Claire, last year’s college captain, is one of two Catholic school students on the award list and was awarded the TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and a scholarship worth up to $10,000.
TJ Ryan medallists receive $2000 in scholarship payments for each year they undertake an undergraduate degree course, to a maximum of five years.
Claire is studying Engineering at university.
St Mary’s principal Deidre Young said Claire received an OP 1 on graduating, placing her in the top two per cent of 2012 Year 12 graduating students in Queensland.
Ms Young said that, along with being a TJ Ryan Medal and scholarship recipient, Claire also received two further scholarships – a University of Queensland (UQ) Scholarship and a Supporting Women in Male-Dominated Careers Scholarship.
Cameron Panzenbock, of Gilroy Santa Maria College, Ingham, was the other Catholic student on the TJ Ryan scholarship list. He was highly commended and awarded a $1000 scholarship.
The medals originated in 1927 and named after a former Premier of Queensland, Thomas Joseph Ryan who served from 1915 to 1919.
The honours recognise academic excellence and outstanding leadership in both the school and the community.
Of the 2013 recipients five 2012 Year 12 students were each awarded the TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarship valued at $10,000 while seven were recognised with a Highly Commended award valued at $1000.