The University of the Sunshine Coast has revealed the eyewatering amount of money it has invested into students facing financial difficulty in 2022.
More than 1500 UniSC students – all with different stories and journeys – have been supported with more than $4.3 million in scholarships, bursaries and prizes this year.
Last week, UniSC held a Celebrating Philanthropy event that brought together donors and students to shine a light of the importance of subsidised or gifted education.
UniSC Vice Chancellor and President Professor Helen Bartlett said more than 90 per cent of recipients this year had some form of equity hardship element as part of the selection criteria.
“The reality is that financial hardship can be the reason why students put off applying for university or decide not to continue with their degrees,” Professor Bartlett said.
“We want to give students every opportunity to reach their full potential.
“Our scholarships and bursaries also support high academic achievers, emerging and elite athletes, reward those who give back to their communities.
“Importantly (they also) help students from regional areas afford to move away from home to study at our campuses.”
Among the recipients was Australian weightlifting champion Yolandie Weir who is studying a Bachelor of Psychology at UniSC as part of its High-Performance Student Athlete (HPSA) program.
Seven years ago, while ranked number two in the world for powerlifting, Weir became gravely ill, fell into a coma and was given little chance of survival.
“Life has certainly thrown me all the curve balls, trials, and tribulations,” she said.
“Leaving the hospital a few months later, with a suitcase full of medications and having had to learn to walk again, I knew it was time to create a life that’s worth the fight.
“Being a single mum, elite athlete, and student is a recipe for a financially tight situation.
“As we’re all aware juggling university and life isn’t easy but thanks to the generosity of donors, students are encouraged to follow our dreams and achieve our goals as student-athletes, parents and everything in between.”
Professor Bartlett said the recent event explored the way philanthropy had transformed students’ lives for the better since UniSC’s foundation in 1996 and discussed where it could take the University and its communities in the future.
Applications for 2023 UniSC scholarships are now open via the UniSC website. To establish a scholarship or bursary, contact advancement@usc.edu.au.
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