JESSICA Hunt from Bermagui is one of 20 regional students who will have the opportunity to pursue her dream course after she was awarded a $36,000 scholarship to study at La Trobe University.
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Thanks to a highly successful partnership between La Trobe University and Bendigo Bank – which is now in its third year – Jessica will join 10 other students who have been awarded scholarships to study in Melbourne, while nine students will study in Bendigo.
Jessica attended Bermagui Public School and then graduated from Narooma High School in 2013, after which she took a gap year.
She is currently in her first year studying a Bachelor of Science at La Trobe University and is living on campus.
She hopes to go on to study ophthalmology or orthoptics, possibly even becoming an eye surgeon.
“I’ve always been interested in the eyes,” she said. “At school in biology I remember studying the eyes and in communications we studied all the senses.”
And of course she has fond memories of dissecting a bull’s eye in biology.
La Trobe University Pro Vice-Chancellor (Regional), Professor Richard Speed said the scholarship program was established to maximise tertiary education opportunities for regional Victorians and provided life-changing opportunities for talented young people from across the state.
“At La Trobe, we are committed to growing our regional communities and we believe the best way to do that is to equip young regional Victorians with high-level skills, knowing that it is extremely likely they will return to regional Victoria and use these skills to serve their communities,” Professor Speed said.
“The La Trobe University and Bendigo Bank Scholarship program makes it possible for talented and passionate students who faced significant educational, financial or social challenges to attend university and fully realise their potential. Without these scholarships, many of these students would have found attending university impossible.
“With scholarship support these students do not need to spend as much time working part-time and instead use that time for study and engagement. La Trobe University and Bendigo Bank Scholars tend to become leaders in the student community and add to the student experience for others.”
The recipients of 2015 La Trobe University and Bendigo Bank Scholarships for the Melbourne Campus were formally announced at an awards ceremony with Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Dewar on Wednesday, March 18.
The scholarships, worth a total of $720,000, will provide students with $12,000 per year for three years to assist with study expenses and the cost of on-campus accommodation.
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Chairman Robert Johanson said the scholarships were often the difference between whether regional students could attend university, or whether they missed out.
“The La Trobe University and Bendigo Bank scholarship program has grown exponentially, targeting specific skills shortages in the our rural communities and giving students everywhere the opportunity to achieve their dream of going to university,” Mr Johanson said.
“No matter what their financial position or personal background, we believe that young Australians should have the opportunity to further their education and fulfil their potential.”