Scholarship Award Ceremony.
Master of Ceremonies and Western Chances scholarship recipient James Holland did an excellent job keeping the ceremony running smoothly and founding Chair Terry Bracks welcomed everyone to this very special event on the Western Chances calendar.
The ceremony was officially opened by Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp. Sally spoke about her belief in education as the most solid foundation for empowering people. She talked about the point in her life when she made the decision to put her mind to achieving her goals and taking opportunities and running with them.
In 2018 Western Chances awarded 195 new scholarships and we felt proud to present certificates to over 100 talented and motivated recipients. They have an impressive range of talents including academic excellence, outstanding leadership, music, artistic and creative expertise, design prowess and community service. David Clements, Program Director Major Projects Victoria, at event sponsor Transurban, presented the certificates alongside the Lord Mayor.
Western Chances new scholarship applications are driven by nominators who identify talented and motivated students for the opportunity to receive an award. The annual Helen Worladge Award recognises the outstanding contributions from a dedicated nominator. Congratulations to Jane Williamson, Student Wellbeing Coordinator, from Lakeview Senior College who is an enthusiastic and passionate supporter of Western Chances.
The performance by scholarship recipient Kozzi Kharel was a highlight of the evening. Kozzi’s personal story and Slam Poetry performance resonated with many in the audience and we wish him well as he pursues his Law studies.
Scholarship recipient Lien To delivered a powerful speech about the opportunities she has been able to access and the value of the support and belief provided by Western Chances. To Lien, becoming a Western Chances recipient really was the ‘Chance of a lifetime’.
Receiving a new scholarship is the beginning of a journey. Western Chances provides support and opportunities for eligible young people as they move through their education and transition to the workforce. On Wednesday night we presented certificates to 11 outstanding alumni who are forging impressive and diverse pathways and we know they will continue to be active members of the Western Chances community. Thanks to alumni Leesa Ward and Terry Bracks for facilitating the alumni ceremony.
We were very pleased to acknowledge the achievements of the following alumni:
Aoun
Bachelor of Biomedicine, Diploma of Languages, Doctor of Medicine
The University of Melbourne
Working as a Doctor at Northern Hospital
Dejan
Bachelor of Laws and Accounting (graduated 2018)
La Trobe University, completed in 2018
Recently completed an internship with Western Chances supporter, CDC and is now applying for graduate positions
Elliott
Bachelor of Communications and Media (graduated 2018)
RMIT University, completed 2018
Eva
Bachelor of Science
Monash University
Working as a Research Officer with the Monash University Public Health and Preventative Medicine Unit and Alfred Health
Fiston
Bachelor of Nursing
Australian Catholic University
Working as a Nurse at Monash Medical Centre
Joel
Bachelor of Post Production/Audio Engineering (graduated 2018)
SAE Institute Melbourne
Junior
Outstanding VCAL student
Qualified mechanic
Working at Kmart Tyre and Auto Service in Werribee
Lauren
Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Merchandising
Kangan Institute.
Developing her own fashion label called Leap Dancewear
Nina*
Bachelor of Science
The University of Melbourne
Commencing a graduate position at Accenture in May this year
Stephanie
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Monash University
Working as a Doctor at Western Health
Long
Bachelor of Commerce
The University of Melbourne
Working as a Generalist Graduate at Jetstar
*Names changed for privacy
Congratulations to all the recipients and alumni who presented their work at the 2019 Western Chances Scholarship Award Ceremony exhibition. The works on display highlighted the diverse talents of our cohort including fashion design, engineering, photography, art, viscom and design. It was great to chat with all the exhibitors and hear about their dedication and passion for their work. Thank you to Luna, Lauren, Tirishma, Kelsy, Leesa, Vicky, John and Tu for making the evening even more memorable.
A big thank you to our event sponsor Transurban. Their support enabled us to ensure that this was a very special evening for our recipients and alumni. Thank you to all our supporters who help keep the Big Dreams alive.