Trio win $400,000 grants for US study

Alex Zhu (left), Angela Zhou and John Scott-Jones, all aged 18, have been awarded Robertson Scholarships and will attend Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Photo / Dean Purcell

They lived 15 minutes apart from each other as infants, emigrated to New Zealand as children and both attend Auckland University.

But until this week, scholars Angela Zhou and Alex Zhu had never met.

Now, the two 18-year-olds both have $400,000 Robertson Scholarships, which will see them travel to America to study for the next four years.

They will be joined by John Scott-Jones, the third winner of a Robertson Scholarship, a programme founded by billionaire Americans Julian and Josie Robertson.

Alex and Angela said it was only when they met at a dinner for the Robertson Scholarship that they realised how closely their paths had travelled. As infants they lived on either sides of a river in Guangzhou, a city of 12 million, before moving to New Zealand. "It's a small world," Alex said.

All three of this year's recipients say they were blown away upon learning that they had won the prestigious scholarship.

"I didn't really believe it, to be honest," said John, the head prefect and chapel prefect at St Paul's Collegiate School in Hamilton last year.

"I thought it was a bit ridiculous. I dropped out of law the next day, which was a little bit scary seeing as I had no written confirmation, just a phone call."

John plans to take an undergraduate degree at Duke University majoring in English, with a minor in history. He would like to work in a multinational non-government organisation or join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a diplomat.

Angela, who came to New Zealand aged 4, is planning to take a degree in political science and theatre studies at Duke. The former head prefect of Macleans College in Bucklands Beach said she would like a career in business, law, the humanitarian sector or politics. Former Auckland Grammar prefect Alex will study at Duke for a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering and materials engineering.

THE SCHOLARSHIP

* Founded by billionaire Americans Julian and Josie Robertson in 2000.
* It pays for international students to study at Duke University in Durham or the University of North Carolina.
* The scholarship also covers board and a living allowance.
* The Robertsons spend part of each year in New Zealand and have invested heavily in the country, building a library in Kerikeri and donating $115 million worth of art to the Auckland Art Gallery.
* They have also developed a golfing resort in Northland and the Cape Kidnappers complex in Hawkes Bay.