Broome student shortlisted for prestigious national teaching scholarship

Document Type

Media Release

Publication Date

Fall 17-5-2012

Publisher Name

The University of Notre Dame Australia

Publication Place

Broome

Abstract

A mature age Education student at The University of Notre Dame Australia’s Broome Campus has expressed her delight at being shortlisted for the highly acclaimed Governor-General’s Indigenous Student Teachers Scholarships.

Sharon Davis, currently in the third year of her Bachelor of Education K-7 degree, said she applied for the scholarship to fulfil her dream of teaching children in her hometown of Broome.

The scholarship is provided annually to one Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student from each Australian state through the Federal Government’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Each scholarship is worth up to $25,000 per annum for a maximum period of four years and aims to provide financial support for student teachers in their progression to future employment. One of the award’s objectives is to increase the number of quality Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers in Australian schools.

Ms Davis, a Bardi woman from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, currently juggles her full-time study commitments whilst raising a family.

Should she be announced as a scholarship recipient later this year, Ms Davis said she would be extremely grateful.

“I think teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world,” Ms Davis said.

“The most important thing for me is that the children in the Kimberley get a teacher who lives in their community and can act as role model for them.

“For me to have the opportunity to teach here in Broome and the surrounding Dampier Peninsula is extremely special as I am surrounded by my people and my culture – two things very close to my heart.”

Dean of the School of Education in Fremantle, Professor Michael O’Neill, congratulated Ms Davis on being shortlisted for the prestigious scholarship.

“The scholarship is highly competitive and it is a tribute to Sharon’s academic achievement and personal qualities that she has progressed to this stage,” Professor O’Neill said.

Last year, Ms Davis became the first Indigenous student to win the Vice Chancellor’s Medal in the School of Education for her excellent academic achievement. She also received the Student of the Year Award at the 2011 Kullari NAIDOC Awards held in Broome.

MEDIA CONTACT: Shelley Robinson: Tel (08) 9433 0610; Mob 0408 959 138 Leigh Dawson: Tel (08) 9433 0569; Mob 0405 441 093

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