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S tudent Voice
A Masterful Performance
Director of Development, Shelley Roberts (1971) spoke to JCH
student, Sidney Ruthven, about her studies, her ambitions and
the key role that scholarships continue to play in helping her fulfil
her dreams.
Let me begin by congratulating you, from home, studying interstate may not
Sidney, on receiving a scholarship to have been possible and completing
undertake your chosen post-graduate my degree would have been extremely
studies. Can you please tell us about difficult.
the course and the scholarship that
makes it possible? Beyond the academic aspects, on
a personal level, how have your
Thank you, Shelley. I feel very privileged university years impacted you and your
to have been offered such an amazing family?
opportunity and am very excited to
commence my new course. I will be I am a Yinman woman from south-east
doing a Master of Genetic Counselling Queensland. I come from the small
and I am lucky enough to be supported country town of Woodford, an hour
fully by the University in this pursuit. north of Brisbane. Education has always
It’s called the Master of Genetic been my pathway and being able to While these are all important aspects
Counselling, Indigenous Practitioner complete my undergraduate degree has and all the colleges cover these well,
Scholarship Program, through which meant a lot, not only for myself but for I think the most important thing is
my entire accommodation fees at JCH, my community and my family. My father community. For me this was something
travel, degree and other expenses and grandmother supported me greatly amazing about JCH – the community it
are covered, and it also includes a in this pursuit and seeing me succeed provided, not only helped me grow but
vocational element that I am eager to has made them very proud. As I have now, as an older student, lets me help
explore. It will be amazing to get a taste mentioned, when I was in high school, others do the same.
of the work I will be doing in the future university seemed to be an unattainable
and start helping people now. Overall, goal that was going to require a lot of JCH, while a smaller, quieter college,
this program will enable me to complete hard work to achieve. Just being able to has a ‘jump in and give it a go’ attitude
my Masters which means a lot to me attend university has meant the world which I just fell in love with. It doesn’t
and everyone back home. to us. matter what it is, whether you want to
play a board game, do some exercise,
I know you also received First in Coming to Melbourne and staying at are looking for a study buddy or just
Family scholarship support from the JCH has allowed me to grow in many want to have a chat, there is always
College for your undergraduate studies ways, as well as having made everyone someone around who’s up for it.
and accommodation at JCH. Putting back home very proud. JCH and the Especially in 2020 with COVID, the
modesty aside, please tell us about University were really accommodating; JCH spirit, as well as our ability to come
your scholarships and their impact on it was great having had local Indigenous together, has really shown me the power
you. elders welcome us to their land. The of the community we’ve built and it is
support I had at JCH and the University for this reason I think community is the
I grew up watching my parents work was made very clear to me when I was most important part of college.
tirelessly for everything and I knew I had homesick in my first year. JCH and
to work hard, especially for educational some wonderful friends not only got me A Master of Genetic Counselling ... Can
opportunities such as competitions, through that time but also helped me you share with us what drew you in
university experience camps and even thrive. The people I’ve met through JCH, that direction and where you hope that
applications. Attending university didn’t the University and work, plus all of the career path might lead?
seem possible, let alone studying at amazing opportunities that have come
an institution like the University of with this, have made it all possible. I have really enjoyed studying genetics
Melbourne and the chance to stay at in my undergrad. and my time working
such an amazing place as JCH. I simply I’m pleased to hear that you are in different labs over the years, but I
can’t convey the immense support returning to JCH in 2021. From your came to a point where I realised that
I’ve been given in the pursuit of my point of view, what are the most this wasn’t the place for me. While I met
degree and what it has meant for my important aspects of JCH life that you some amazing people, learnt so much
community, my family and myself. JCH would recommend to others? and had a lot of fun doing it, the lab just
in particular was very generous to have didn’t feel like the right fit for me. I love
supported me with scholarships for the When people start thinking about science and value research but I believe
last four years. Without the support of college they tend to first consider rooms, it’s incredibly important that we are able
the University and JCH, my home away food, events and general facilities etc. to share it with everyone. This, and the
28 LUCE Number 19 2020