Scholarships

Lacey Dives Into Law Career

As a 10-year-old girl growing up in Cairns Lacey Rowett loved the Reef and thought she might become a marine biologist.

Now 21, she remains passionate about protecting sea life but says Law and Psychology degrees from Bond University have upgraded her ambitions from local to global.

Ms Rowett, a former vice-captain of Redlynch State College, has graduated to a role with a top-tier law firm despite the toughest job market in a generation.

"As a child I dreamed of working directly with animals and the environment, but I hadn't considered the variety of ways I could help indirectly," she said ahead of her graduation ceremony this week.

"Climate change is the challenge I find the most interesting because there is a lot of problem-solving to be done.

"Down the track I'd like to work for an organisation like Greenpeace or the WWF in a policy role."

Ms Rowett secured a Vice-Chancellor's Elite Scholarship to study at Bond, beginning in 2016.

Since then she has participated in the university's Transformer program for student entrepreneurs and travelled to Canada for the World's Challenge Challenge, an international competition for students seeking to solve global issues.

Her team put forward a plan to protect the Reef from climate change.

Ms Rowett also served as president of the Bond University Student Association.

She now works in the environment and planning team at MinterEllison after coming to the attention of one of her associate professors, also a Bond graduate and a partner at the international law firm.

"She reached out over LinkedIn and invited me to do some work experience and then they offered me a graduate position," Ms Rowett said.

"Environment and planning is pretty varied. In any week, we may be in court for the prosecution of a development offence, providing advice on koala habitat, and drafting a new local law on vegetation management.

"Our clients include local governments, and residential and commercial developers."

Ms Rowett said university students should embrace all the opportunities presented during their degrees and leverage new connections.

"Going to Bond was the best choice I could have made and the best years of my life so far.

"Time flies by but I managed to squeeze in everything that I could."

Hayley Mais (Year 12  - 2016 Graduate of ) Awarded a Life-Changing Scholarship

This is Hayley’s story:

“I received my offer to study journalism at Murdoch University in Perth, WA after an anxious month of waiting since OP scores were released. Completely over the moon, I accepted straight away. However there was yet another month of anxious waiting to go as I anticipated the result of my application for the George Alexander Foundation Scholarship. Thankfully I was successful in this, meaning that I will be granted a total of $24,000 over the three years of my course to assist in paying for my accommodation and living expenses.

Well before 2016 began, I was already researching universities I wanted to attend and the scholarships they had to offer so that I could ensure that I would give myself the best chance of success. I decided on Murdoch University in Perth for a number of reasons (and the George Alexander Foundation Scholarship was certainly one). The money from this is enough to pay all of my share of the rent, food and utilities and takes an enormous amount of pressure off my financial situation which allows me to focus more of my energy on my studies.

It is a complete honour to be awarded one of only six George Alexander Foundation Scholarships given out by Murdoch University every year. To be eligible for this, I needed to achieve an OP 10 or better (an ATAR equivalent of 80.00), have had leadership roles or experience during my final year of school and demonstrated my ability to give back to my community. Throughout last year I made a very conscious effort to take part in as many events as I could in order to meet the selection criteria. Compiling everything to achieve this scholarship took a lot of time and dedication but I cannot deny that the benefits will speak for themselves.

Finally, a short message to all current Year 11 and 12 students. Start looking now, get involved, and keep a record of all you have achieved. There are so many options out there so don’t let yourself down by leaving things too late. Don’t down play your commitments and achievements because those are the sort of things for which universities, institutions and employers look.

I am very much looking forward to what these next few years will bring, and am extremely grateful for how much this scholarship will help.”