On 20 February MSN presented educational scholarships for studies during 2018 to 26 students from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Maitland. This year all the students are studying at high school and many will be jointly undertaking TAFE studies. Joining the recipients at the presentation were friends, family and supporters, as well as MSN sponsors and members.
As always it was a joyous and inspirational event.
There are as many stories as there are scholarship recipients. Some of the students are refugees; others come from single-parent families. Some recipients live alone, while others support family members with disabilities or illness. Many have part-time jobs, others volunteer and some have significant sporting commitments. For all recipients their personal circumstances and financial difficulties make studying and completing their studies particularly challenging. Nevertheless, all have goals and are deeply committed to completing their education and moving on to successful careers. It is for these
reasons that they have received a scholarship.
And what are the student’s goals? They include teaching, physiotherapy, pharmacy, retail, health care, nursing, arts, dance, carpentry, psychology, engineering and law.
Natalie (receiving her second scholarship) spoke to Garth Russell during an ABC interview. She told him that for several years she was homeless and in foster care, wondering if there could be a good future for her. With the support of an MSN scholarship, Samaritans Youth Accommodation Services and others Natalie is now completing grade 12 and heading for university next year where she hopes to study medicine.