Meg Purser's legacy lives on as inaugural scholarship awarded to University of Newcastle communication student Courtney Yeandle

Second year University of Newcastle communication student Courtney Yeandle was named the inaugural recipient of the Meg Purser Scholarship on Friday.

The $5000 scholarship initiated by City of Newcastle memorialises former Purser Corporate Communication managing director Meg Purser, who died in January 2021.

Ms Yeandle, who is majoring in news media and public relations, said it was an honour and a surprise to be named as the first recipient.

"It's really humbling actually," she said.

"I never thought of myself as like someone like her.

"She is like the goal of what I'm working towards. So that was pretty exciting."

The teenager who moved here from Sydney said the funds would take the pressure off her finances, while motivating her to pursue a career in journalism.

Meg's father Bob Purser, who founded Purser Corporate Communication in 1984, said while his daughter would have been more comfortable behind the cameras promoting a scholarship rather than the subject of one, she would have been extremely proud.

"Right through our business running a public relations firm we took student after student for work placement, and Meg virtually controlled all that," Mr Purser said.

"She loved working with the kids.

"She was extraordinarily passionate.

"I don't want to sound over the top but when she was coming through in the late 80s and early 90s, there were three or four firms around town, all male dominated pretty much.

"A lot of big business was dominated by men who found it difficult to accept that young women knew what they were talking about.

"Meg, she didn't make that a battle, she just decided to prove to them that she could do it, which she did.

"And she used to say to these kids when they were coming in, they should just stand up and be counted."

But Mr Purser said awarding the scholarship was a "mixed feeling" for himself and Meg's husband Scott Mills.

"It's such a pride for both of us, but it also brings back all those sad memories," he said. "I lost my wife this year in February, so we've been through it. But we're very proud."

University of Newcastle College of Human and Social Futures pro-vice chancellor Professor John Fischetti said the scholarship would provide financial support, but also moral support too.

"Scholarships mean the most to our students, because they give them the opportunity to buy some time from having to work to focus on studies," he said.

"But in this particular case, the connection between Meg's father, his interest in journalism, to Courtney the recipient, and her goal to be a journalist is really connecting the dots for her legacy, which is fantastic."

"We're so appreciative because the way in which our students can thrive is by being able to focus on what they're passionate about.

"And those distractions taken away mean they can go for excellence.

"That's what this scholarship represents.

"But it's also a living memorial to a wonderful person who left us too soon.

"You're not just doing it for yourself, you're doing it in the honour of someone else. So it gives you that extra motivation and feeling of support that you're standing on someone's shoulders."

Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said having worked closely with the community-focused Meg, she was "still exceptionally irreplaceable" as well as "a wonderful advocate for the city, a wonderful mentor, and also just a wonderful person".

"I know from what I've heard about Courtney as a student, that she would be very proud of the choice you have made to study communication," Cr Nelmes said.

The scholarship has been funded for three years, however Cr Nelmes said the intention was for it to continue in perpetuity.

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