Music and geography at UC receive a $2.2million scholarship boost

Music and geography at the University of Canterbury (UC) have received a $2.2million scholarship boost with a bequest from Judith Pownall, the widow of former UC Vice-Chancellor Dr Leigh Pownall.

Dr Pownall was Professor of Geography at UC and became UC’s youngest vice-chancellor in 1961, aged 39.

The strength and standing of UC today was considered to be a tribute to the legacy of Dr Pownall’s five-year tenure as vice-chancellor.

The Judith and Leigh Pownall scholarships will be awarded annually for undergraduate students to major in geography or music.

Dr Pownall was regarded as the father of urban geography in New Zealand. His research publications on the towns and cities of the country first appeared in the 1940s and continued up until the early 1960s when he moved into administration.

He consulted with the Christchurch City Council on matters related to housing and urban policy. He is credited with cementing good relations between the institution and the city, and promoting UC to the outside world.

Dr Pownall introduced a student guide service and opened a visitors’ centre at the entrance to the clock tower on the old Arts Centre site from where campus tours for members of the public started. He was heavily involved in the decision and implementation of moving UC from the Arts Centre site to the Ilam Campus.