19 March 2010
Scholarships – rewarding students and the community
Scholarships have been a fantastic help to Jasmine Evans who is studying a Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice Administration) at RMIT.
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When prospective Aboriginal student Jasmine Evans applied to RMIT University to study she ended up ticking various boxes on the scholarships section of the application form.
"I was awarded an Indigenous Commonwealth Educations Costs Scholarship, which has really helped towards the costs of my studies.
"Once I was became an RMIT student, I was made aware of other scholarships on offer to me. I applied for a George Alexander Foundation Scholarship, which I now receive and which helps with my everyday living and study costs," Ms Evans said.
The George Alexander Foundation Scholarships reward academic ability, leadership potential and a passion for community involvement, as well as a student demonstrating the will to succeed.
In her first year at RMIT, studying for a Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice Administration), Ms Evans was studying full-time, working and suffered a death in her family.
"The scholarships have really been a fantastic help to me and everyone at RMIT's Scholarships office has been very supportive," she said.
"The scholarships have focused my studies and freed up time that I spent working outside of university in the first year. They have given me more of a balanced life beyond study and work."
Ms Evans was originally studying Photography but after working at RMIT's Ngarara Willim Centre and meeting other indigenous students there decided to change direction.
"Everyone at the Centre was extremely friendly, welcoming and committed to encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders at RMIT.
"After meeting other indigenous students at the Centre and working on projects like NAIDOC week and the Koori Express for RMIT's Open Day, I realised that what I chose for my career could really make a difference for indigenous communities,” she said.
She decided to switch her studies from Photography to Criminal Justice to make more of a positive impact socially.
"There is still a lot of work that needs to be done in indigenous communities around Australia and I want to be one of the people who gets their hands dirty and makes a real difference," she said.
Once she graduates Ms Evans wants to use what she has learnt at RMIT to help remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia.
"I really enjoy studying at RMIT; it feels like I’m part of an indigenous family here. RMIT is a very friendly university to study at.
"The scholarships I've received at RMIT, and the support from the indigenous community here, will ultimately lead to me working in a remote indigenous community and help to make a real difference to people’s lives," she said.
