Nine University of Wollongong students have left their mark on a national scholarship program and will reap the rewards with extra educational opportunities.
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Shell Cove resident Amelie Sedmak is studying for a degree in Data Science at the University of Wollongong. She is one of seven students to receive a Young Technologist scholarship, valued at $20,000.
"I like maths, it's probably my favourite subject at school and I've had a little bit of exposure to coding before," Miss Sedmak said.
"So I just combined my interests and that's why I chose my degree."
"It's a great opportunity and it will help me network and connect with other people who have similar interests."
Young Technologists scholars receive three years of financial support and will have the opportunity to take part in mentoring programs and paid internships with business leaders and experts from the industry.
Miss Sedmak says she picked up her passion for coding while at primary school.
"I did this program called Code It Yourself, club CIY for short, and basically I did like a little bit of HTML and javascript coding back then,"
The help Miss Sedmak receives while she completes her degree will help her become a data scientist.
"Being able to analyse data using like maths and programming and then basically applying that and helping people make more informed decisions."
UOW's Asian Exchange Scholars
Two students from UOW received an Asian Exchange scholarship which provides $12,700 to help undertake studies at a university in Asia.
Georgi Coddington is studying a double degree in Mechatronic Engineering and Mathematics and wants to use the opportunity to help strengthen ties between Australia and Asia in the space sector.
"My dream job would be to work on satellites, specifically working with orbits of satellites," Miss Coddington said.
"I always used to get my dad to take me to the Deep Space Communication Network in Canberra.
"I just love looking at satellites."
Miss Coddington is heading to Singapore's Nanyang Technological University in August for a semester.
"I chose Singapore because I actually went there when I was 15 and I've always wanted to go back."
Another Asian Exchange recipient is Maggie Khan who says even the act of filling out the application helped her.
"I actually found it really helpful because it made me figure out what are my plans for the future," Miss Khan said.
Miss Khan, studying a double degree in Laws and International Studies, will head to Sophia University in Tokyo in September for four months.
"I'm hoping to be able to combine my degrees and be able to help in a systemic sense - working, I guess, in a public service doing policy work. My particular interest is the combination of migration and domestic violence."
Through the program Westpac have awarded 71 scholarships around the country at a cost of about $1.1 million.
Network access opens doors
All three UOW scholars the Mercury interviewed brought special mention to the access to the W100 network the scholarship provided.
"Access to the network has already been amazing and I've only been officially part of it for a week," Miss Khan said.
"There are just hundreds of people there with all these niche interests."
The W100 Network is described online as an "inspiring network of like-minded individuals united by a generosity of spirit and desire to create a brighter future for Australia".
In a media release, UOW Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Eileen McLaughlin said the scholarship would help the students in many ways.
"This initiative is not just about providing financial support but also about nurturing the next generation of leaders who will drive meaningful change and innovation in our society," Professor McLaughlin said.
Joel Ehsman
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, experiencing life near the beach.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, experiencing life near the beach.
