Rolling Stone Australia and Southern Cross University are set to help some of the next generation of creatives realise their potential, with the recently-announced partnership seeing its first scholarship awarded.
Announced back in January, the Rolling Stone Music Scholarship arrived by way of a partnership with SCU, awarding students wishing to study a Bachelor of Contemporary Music $15,000 to help them on their way. Now, the first scholarship has been awarded, with Leon Holstegge – a second year student – receiving the inaugural scholarship.
“I was scrolling through Facebook and saw the link for the Rolling Stone Scholarship and thought ‘this could be nice’ and then just went for it,” Leon explained. “I thought I wouldn’t have much of a chance then I got an email saying I was one of the top 10 applicants.
“It’s a bit overwhelming, because it’s such a big business, the Rolling Stone Magazine.”
“Leon was a stand-out in the sense that both in his statement we asked for in the scholarship application and his university application where we witnessed his musicianship skills across many instruments including guitar, bass and drums – he especially makes his guitar sing,” explained Dr Barry Hill, Senior Lecturer in Southern Cross University’s music degree.
“The scholarship gives him $15,000 and having that connection to Rolling Stone gives him a marketing edge and a leverage into the industry where he’ll have a direct line to the editor of Rolling Stone.”
Leon’s $15,000 is the first in a series of similar scholarships set to be offered to students across the next three years thanks to the partnership between Southern Cross University and Rolling Stone. It’s open to commencing and current students undertaking the Bachelor of Contemporary Music at the University’s flagship Lismore campus close to Byron Bay, and Coomera Creative Campus on the Gold Coast.
Southern Cross University’s Bachelor of Contemporary Music degree sees students working with a number of notable names, including ARIA Award-winning musician Brad Hosking, who serves as musical director of Amy Shark’s band. Meanwhile, a number of graduates from SCU have begun to make waves globally, including Lennox Head outfit WHARVES, who recently released their single, “Everything I’m Waiting On”.
