Former Port Campbell Surf Lifesaving nipper Tate Copeland is continuing the Powell family legacy even though he now lives three hours away.
Tate, 22, is undertaking his Masters of Applied Econometrics at the University of Melbourne after completing his Arts Degree majoring in writing and economics at La Trobe University, but he still finds time to return home over summer for surf club patrols.
A recipient of a Powell Legacy Fund scholarship, administered by the DemoDAIRY Foundation, Tate has always kept in touch with his home town and the surf club he joined as a nipper when just six years old.
The Master’s is in mathematic modelling and data analysis of economics, but Tate’s earlier study in writing aims to make it easy for people to understand.
“I want to go into the public sector and need to be a good writer to break down and convey complex economic situations for people who don’t have a lot of time to understand it,” he said.
Next year Tate will enter a full-time graduate program with the Australian Taxation Office so will defer the course and pick it up again once he has a permanent job.
This summer he will be back in Port Campbell and patrolling with the surf club, along with competition and patrolling commitments in Lorne.
Club president Scott McKenzie recommended he apply for the Powell Legacy Fund scholarship and now Tate is encouraging others to do the same.
“The money relieved my student fees and took away a bit of my HECS debt while I was at La Trobe,” he said. “It really helped out in the long run because the cost of the arts degree went up in my second year.”
Ross Powell was one of Tate’s first patrol captains and he knew Andy Powell through rowing surfboats for the club. Tate went on to become the club’s junior coordinator, overseeing the nippers program and a regular competitor in surfboat competitions.
“Their deaths hit the local community and lifesaving across the state pretty hard and I felt honoured to get the award and continue their legacy of helping around the community,” he said.
“Anyone who thinks it would be worthwhile to offload some of their uni fees should consider applying, especially if you’re looking to further your agricultural studies at any level.
“The money is there to help people in our community to further the legacy that both Andy and Ross left us as volunteers and as agricultural leaders.”
Applications for DemoDAIRY Foundation and Powell Legacy Fund, administered by DDF, school leaver scholarships will close in late November.
More information can be found at https://www.demodairy.com.au/scholarships-and-grants/ or from DDF secretary Ian Teese on 0427 358987 or itag@bigpond.com.
Tate, right, with younger brother Lenny at the last Victorian State Champs