Page 28 - Luce 2020
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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

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