16 March 2011 - Medan. The Orangutan Caring Scholarship (OCS) is a joint program of the Orang Utan Republik Foundation (OURF) and Yayasan Orangutan Sumatra Lestari's (YOSL) Orangutan Information Center (OIC) for the purpose of providing financial support for talented and needy college students and to engender their appreciation and advocacy for the orangutan during and after their academic studies. Since awarding its initial scholarship in 2006, the highly competitive OCS has increased in stature in N. Sumatra and Aceh. Six previous recipients have already received their bachelor degrees. This year, students from biology, forestry and veterinary school competed once again for 10 scholarships. Those scholarships were awarded in a ceremony attended by Dr. Gary Shapiro (OURF) and Panut Hadisiswoyo (YOSL-OIC) on March 16, 2011.

 

 

 Five students from North Sumatra came from two different universities while the five students from Aceh were scheduled to attend the veterinary school at the University of Kuala Syiah. The North Sumatran students were: Muhammad Gojali Harahap from University of North Sumatra, Forestry; Henny L Tobing from University of Medan, Biology; Novita Hethy Tamba from University of Medan, Biology; Arfah Nasution from University of North Sumatra, Biology; and Juhardi Sembiring from University of North Sumatra, Biology. The Acehese students were: Joharsyah Hutabarat, Raja Marthunus Selian, Meuthya SR, Dina Agustina, and Aulia Fakhrurrozi, all entering the veterinary school at the University of Kuala Syiah in Banda Aceh.

OURF is appreciative for the financial support provided by the Australian Orangutan Project for providing 5 of the 10 scholarships, Orangutan Outreach for providing 2 scholarships, and donors to the OURF for the remaining 3 scholarships.