Campus Issue 6

CAMPUS Issue 6, April 2019

CEO's welcome

Welcome to the first edition of Campus for 2019, and what has been a busy start to the year for the GAF team.

In late 2018 we announced a new scholarship program with The Australian Catholic University To complement the successful program that has been running at ACU’s Ballarat Campus since 2006, we will be offering an additional five scholarships per year for rural and regional students to attend ACU’s Strathfield or North Sydney campuses to assist with their relocation costs.

In March the GAF team and I travelled to Perth to co-host a scholarship event at our only West Australian partner, Murdoch University. It was fabulous to meet the 2019 scholars and alumni in attendance, all of whom are setting out on their unique academic and professional journeys.

Lastly, I'd like to welcome our new Communications Officer, Nina Beer, who joined us in

January. Nina has taken the reins from Eleanor, who has returned to full-time study to commence a Masters of Social Work. We wish Eleanor all the best for what will no doubt be a bright future.

With all that has taken place in 2019 already, our team is now taking time to plan for the year ahead. We look forward to visiting many of our partner institutions for awards ceremonies and scholar networking events. Until then I'd like to wish you all the best with your studies and professional endeavours in the coming year

GAF event Murdoch scholarship ceremony

In early March the GAF team flew to Perth to welcome the 2019 Murdoch GAF Scholars into our community. The theme of the event was 'Embracing Uncertainty and Taking Risks'. Scholars and alumni got the chance to hear from Fiona Stanley AC, a Governor of The George Alexander Foundation, and Elise Bowen, a Murdoch University and GAF alumna, who travelled from Wagga Wagga NSW for the occasion.

From overcoming mental health issues to breaking through gender boundaries, Elise and Fiona shared advice and lessons they learnt during their career journeys. "Now I am much more comfortable in making myself uncomfortable!", said Elise on travelling and working overseas. Reflecting on her journey since graduation, Elise encouraged scholars to seek new opportunities, no matter how daunting,"putting yourself out of your comfort zone is

necessary for personal growth".

Watch the video above to see highlights of the event and stay tuned for a video of the full event which we will share on our YouTube channel in the coming weeks.

Calling all new kids on the block Welcome new scholars!

For those of you receiving this newsletter for the first time, now is the perfect opportunity to get to know your new community. Get inspired by other scholars' stories, learn more about George Alexander's life and legacy or search for your name on the GAF Honour Roll

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to stay up to date with the Foundation, connect with other GAF scholars and keep in touch!

GAF on the 'Gram

What a star!

New scholarship program ACU NSW Campuses join GAF

We’re excited to announce that a new GAF scholarship program will commence this year at The Australian Catholic University (ACU) North Sydney and Strathfield campuses. A scholarship program was first established with the ACU Ballarat campus in 2006 to assist talented regional and rural students to reach their educational goals when relocating for further studies.

Similarly,ACU's NSW GAF Scholarship program will support regional and rural students with five scholarships, valued at $22,500, awarded annually to students who have relocated to commence their study at ACU's Strathfield or North Sydney campuses.

Find out more about our partnership with ACU.

Spotlight

on...

Women in STEM

In Australia, only 16% of graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are women. As a proud supporter of women in STEM, we wanted to highlight the accomplishments of our scholars and fellows succeeding in these fields. We caught up with Ella, Jess, Caitlin and Milly to find out what sparked their passion for their respective fields of study, and their career goals.

Swinburne | Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)

Ella

Studying Biomedical Engineering allows Ella to combine her interests in healthcare, engineering and technology. After her degree, she wants to help people through the development and modification of medical technology and instruments.

Find out about her hands-on experience developing an Electromyography controlled robotic claw.

Milly

In her fourth year of Veterinary Medicine, Milly is focused on gaining as much work experience as possible before graduation. From a clinical placement at a veterinary hospital to volunteering as a calf marker in Esperance, she's hoping to leverage her experience to land an interstate job.

Find out how a GAF scholarship is helping Milly achieve her professional development goals and why she thinks more woman should study science. Read More Watch Video

Earthwatch Student Challenger Caitlin

As a graduate ecologist, Caitlin found herself working on Earthwatch expeditions at Calperum Station.

Now a program coordinator, we found out how her own Student Challenge expedition influenced her career, and her hope to encourage the next generation to discover, grow and feed their passion for ecology

Read More

Earthwatch Student Challenger Jess

In 2014 Jess undertook an Earthwatch Student Challenge expedition before going on to study a Bachelor of Science.

Now interning at Earthwatch, she reflects on what originally sparked her love of conservation, how her Student Challenge experience led to her internship and why she is helping others lead environmentally conscious lives.

Read More Take a look at the winning entries

Congratulations to Chayton Barber, winner of Earthwatch's Student Challenge National Environment Competition, for the film Terra Terror. The competition is designed to allow Student Challengers to express themselves and raise awareness of the environmental issues we face across Australia. Entries varied from film and photography to short stories and paintings.

Happily, all prize winners were sponsored by The George Alexander Foundation for their Earthwatch expeditions.

In the news We've got a winner!

'I like the idea of planting seeds in the hope that they might grow into pretty big trees.'

- George Alexander, AM

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