A group of rural and regional students from the Australian National University in Canberra have this week launched an equity scholarship for rural and regional students who relocate to the ANU.
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The scholarship was launched after Cowra local and ANU student, Brody Hannan, donated $20,000 to establish an endowment fund which will allow the scholarship to run for the next four years.
The group of students are now fundraising to ensure the scholarship grows to support more students, and runs into perpetuity.
“Without a doubt, a scholarship changes lives, “Mr Hannan said.
“One of the greatest things about coming to the ANU are the awesome academic and extracurricular opportunities available.
“But when you’re working 25 hours a week at a local café to pay your own residential college fees, it’s nearly impossible to fully immerse yourself in the university experience.
“A scholarship enables a regional, low SES student the opportunity to join university clubs and societies, play college sport, volunteer and intern – experience enriching opportunities that they wouldn’t have otherwise, ultimately leading them to ‘give back’ to the ANU and wider community.”
The scholarship will be $5,000 and will support first year students’ accommodation and living costs.
The group of 15 ANU students have already raised $20,000 and are looking to raise in excess of $10,000 by the end of 2017 to see the scholarship offered for the next six years, and ultimately in perpetuity.
Mr Hannan served as the School Captain of St Raphael’s Catholic High School in 2012, and of Cowra High School in 2014, before relocating to the ANU in 2015 after receiving a Tuckwell Scholarship – Australia’s largest and most prestigious undergraduate scholarship.
“When I was in Year 12, I received an incredible amount of support from the Cowra Rotary Club and wider community in helping send me to the UK for an international science forum,” Mr Hannan said.
“All the amazing things I’ve been able to do at university – travel the world, study overseas, and work for ministers, government departments and embassies – have all been because other’s supported me early on in my journey.
“A scholarship changed my life. Now it’s my turn to change someone else’s.”
The group have started a Facebook page to share stories from regional students like themselves:
www.facebook.com/ANUStudentsForRegionalScholarships
The group’s crowdfunding site went live earlier this week: https://anu.useed.net/give/rural-regional-scholarship
