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Ten of the State’s highest-achieving students have accepted UWA Fogarty Scholarships to study at The University of Western Australia.

This year’s scholarship winners are Amber Anderson, of Bramley (Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School); Katherine Dumas, of Mt Pleasant (Perth Modern School); Elodie Hayward, of Nedlands (St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls); Lydia Hill Almeida, of Wembley (Perth Modern School); Leyton Hilmer, of South Perth (Wesley College); Emily Roberts, of  Balcatta (Mercedes College); Michaela Savage, of Trigg (St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School); Caitlin Staer, of West Beach (Esperance Senior High School); Luke Thomas, of Huntingdale (St George’s Anglican Grammar School); and Nicholas Ellison, of Claremont (Trinity College).

UWA Vice-Chancellor Dawn Freshwater, Fogarty Foundation Executive Chair Annie Fogarty and UWA Fogarty Scholars past and present welcomed the 2018 scholarship winners at a breakfast this morning.

The UWA Fogarty Scholarships offer the State’s brightest and most committed students a generous scholarship for the entirety of their undergraduate degree, including honours, and a further contribution towards postgraduate studies.

Recipients are selected based on academic excellence and outstanding achievements in at least three of four categories (leadership, community involvement, the arts and sport).

Professor Freshwater said the UWA Fogarty Scholarships were some of the most significant scholarships offered in Australia.

“The winners are academic high achievers with the desire, motivation and ability to make a positive difference in our community,” she said.

“As well as financial assistance, the scholarship program includes leadership development opportunities and academic mentoring.”

Successful initiatives by past Fogarty Scholars include Bloom Lab, founded by Mark Shelton and Bharath Iyer to encourage, mentor and help budding young entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground; WASTV, founded by Michael Taran and Binu Jayawardena to empower social change through a volunteer-run media network; and Ignite, founded by Sasha Quahe and her sister Ilona in 2011 to provide tutoring and mentoring to students from low socio-economic areas to help them reach their potential.

Dr Fogarty said the UWA Fogarty Scholarship program aimed to build a stronger community by investing in exceptional young people.

“We need leaders who will positively transform our community,” Dr Fogarty said. “By creating these opportunities, they are gaining knowledge and experience and the belief that they have the ability and skills to take the lead and make change happen.”

Media references

David Stacey (UWA Media and Public Relations Manager)     (+61 8) 6488 3229/ (+61 4) 32 637 716