Moving to Brisbane has been a big step for first year QUT student Tahlia Fatnowna, who left her family behind on the remote island of Groot Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria to follow her dream to learn.
And helping Tahlia fulfil this dream with financial support is the QUT annual Tim Fairfax AC Learning Potential Fund Scholarship, specifically for financially disadvantaged students from rural and regional Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Tahlia was one of 24 inspiring young students to be awarded the $5000 scholarship by Mr Fairfax AC, at Old Government House on QUT's Gardens Point campus in Brisbane.
Studying a double degree in Creative Industries and Human Services, Tahlia hopes to one day return to her Northern Territory roots and practice art therapy.
"Art therapy is about using visual art and music to express yourself. Research has shown that art therapy is really effective when working with Indigenous communities and youth," she said.
Tahlia said it had been a challenge to leave her parents and five sisters to move Brisbane, but it had been made easier with the financial support the scholarship offered.
"It has taken a lot of the worry out of the move, because it costs a lot to find a place to live and to get ready to go to uni," she said.
"I have been able to set myself up, buy a computer and now I feel like 'hey I can really do this'."
The scholarships have been established thanks to a very significant donation to the QUT Learning Potential Fund by pastoralist, philanthropist and QUT Chancellor, Mr Fairfax.
They are open to disadvantaged and low income students from regional and remote areas in Queensland or the Northern Territory who want to study at QUT.
Mr Fairfax, who has spent much of his life living and working in the country, said the scholarships were aimed at supporting our future leaders.
"I hope that these students will not only flourish in their studies at university, but will go on to make an impact in their families and also the communities they come from," Mr Fairfax said.
The scholarships are awarded through the university's flagship equity program, the QUT Learning Potential Fund, a perpetual fund which has provided more than 24,000 scholarships and bursaries to low-income students since 1999.
Applications for the 2016 scholarships will open in September.
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Media contact:
Sandra Hutchinson, QUT Media (Tue, Wed), 07 3138 9449 or media@qut.edu.au
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