Promising Local Students Awarded Scholarships

Thanks to a unique scholarship program, six young CEFA students have recently been brought closer to achieving their goals of completing tertiary study at the University of Sydney.

The recipients of the University of Sydney scholarships are Jessica Muir, Ned Mullany, Emma Byrne, Laura Rumph, Jessica Craig and Nini Liulu. Through these students’ communities’ CEFA Education Foundations, local students have received access to a great number of extra grants and scholarships with universities and colleges, providing even greater support towards their post high school aspirations.

Now in its second year, the partnership between CEFA and the University of Sydney’s Access Scholarships program has provided academically promising students with Equity Scholarships.

The Equity Scholarships are specifically targeted at rural students from CEFA communities. The scholarships help meet some of the additional costs rural students have when relocating to go to university.

Jocellin Jansson, Executive Director of CEFA said, “The scholarships provide each recipient with $6,000 a year for the duration of their enrolment in a University of Sydney degree. This assistance provides crucial financial support for textbooks, computer equipment, medical or household bills, rent or other course related items.”

Recipient Jessica Craig, now in her second year of study, moved from Narrabri to start a Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience in 2009. Jessica said, "When I first moved to Sydney I was unsure of whether I would be able to afford to live so far away from home. It's daunting when you think there are so many costs associated with going to university.”

"Applying for the Equity Scholarship was easy and really worth it. With assistance from the Equity Scholarship I have been able to afford to pay my weekly rent, I don't have to worry about hurting my savings buying textbooks and I am less stressed overall. Now I am able to focus all my attention on doing my best in my degree and giving 100 per cent to my studies,” Jessica said.

In April the University of Sydney hosted a welcome lunch for this year’s scholarship recipients that the six CEFA students and Ms Jansson attended.