In a world where education plays a crucial role in shaping our future, scholarships provide a valuable pathway to success for many people. We believe that success stories deserve to be celebrated, as they not only highlight the incredible achievements of students but also showcase the power of education in transforming lives. Join us as we look at some inspiring scholarship stories of real people who have overcome challenges and seized opportunities.
Pursuing a passion for justice
Thanks to ANU’s Tuckwell Scholarship, Jonathan Tjandra was able to follow his dream of becoming a lawyer. After his family emigrated from Indonesia to Australia to escape conflict, he wanted to study law to ensure that he could protect others still suffering from discriminatory laws.
“[Becoming a Tuckwell Scholar] was one of the defining moments in my life because, all of a sudden, I could afford to go to ANU to study. All these opportunities opened up and I could finally take a few more steps to progress the passion I have for law,” he says.
Jonathan studied a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Hons I) and a Juris Doctor at ANU, and is now continuing his studies in Oxford University in the UK.
Read Jonathan’s story here.
Inspiring Indigenous doctors
Joan Cassimatis recently graduated as the top performing medical student of 2022 – and was helped to study by Bond’s First Nations Medical Scholarship and Nyombil Indigenous Support Centre.
“That was a highlight for me from my time at Bond and of course it allowed me to study at Bond through the scholarship, which I would otherwise not have been able to do,” she says.
Now, she is undertaking an internship at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH).
Real Joan’s story here.
Rural students soar
Facing devastating bushfires at her home on Kangaroo Island, Ayisha Fearnside was able to persevere and was accepted to study medicine at Flinders University in 2022. And she was helped by receiving a grant from the Country Education Foundation.
“My grant has been instrumental in allowing me to study here in Adelaide; I have been able to live doing little paid work, which has given me the time and space to acclimate to city life, focus on uni and take on several projects that I am incredibly passionate about,” she says.
Ayisha has since founded Flinders Neurodivergent Study Support and Advocacy (FNSSA), and looks forward to using her studies to give back to her local community in the future.
Read Ayisha’s story here.
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