Bright futures: Destination Australia scholarship recipients Abbey Brennan, Melinda De Cicco, Candy Wunsch, Kody Mark and Magdalena Turvey.
Photo by
Anna McGuinness
After a difficult experience in high school and feeling “aimless in life”, Shepparton’s Kody Mark says a Destination Australia scholarship breathed life back into his dream.
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He is one of four La Trobe University students in Shepparton to be awarded the Federal Government scholarships in the most recent round of the program.
The 22-year-old is in his first of a four-year social work degree, with an interest in pursuing school counselling.
“I had such a hard time at school, I just know there’s got to be other people having a hard time like me,” he said.
“I’d love to change the course of somebody’s life so they don’t end up having such a hard path as I had.”
The scholarships support students to complete their studies in regional areas with $15,000 a year for up to four years of study.
Since the program started in 2020, 13 La Trobe University Shepparton students have been awarded the scholarships.
“Because of how bad a start I had, I thought I had no chance of getting into a job I felt really passionate about,” Mr Mark said.
“This scholarship has breathed life back into my dream; it’s laid out in front of me and all I have to do is work hard to achieve it.”
Meet and greet: (L-R) La Trobe University Shepparton head of campus Elizabeth Capp, student Abbey Brennan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Speed, Melinda De Cicco, Candy Wunsch, Kody Mark, Magdalena Turvey, Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum and Nationals’ candidate for Nicholls Sam Birrell.
Photo by
Anna McGuinness
Nursing student Magdalena Turvey now lives in Coomboona but is originally from Poland.
As a permanent resident, she’s unable to access student loans and said the scholarship was the only way she was able to study — especially with weeks of unpaid placement required.
Ms Turvey works casually as an enrolled nurse at Goulburn Valley Health and is in her second and final year of study.
“I realised regional areas really need skilled workers and thought it was a way to give back to the community that welcomed us with open arms,” she said.
For Longwood’s Candy Wunsch, being a single parent with a mortgage, the financial burden of study had previously held her back.
Now she’s taken the leap into her first year on her way to becoming a kindergarten and primary school teacher.
“(The scholarship) means I have the financial freedom to study,” she said.
“It was one of the things that held me back for a long time.”
Scholarship recipients, including from previous rounds of funding, were welcomed to the Shepparton campus by La Trobe University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Speed and Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum.
“It’s a scheme that’s designed to attract international, metropolitan students to regional areas and keep their skills in the regions,” Prof Speed said.
“It’s allowed us to retain, and encourage to start, a lot of really good students from regional communities.”
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