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A Law/Arts student with a passion for social justice has been awarded this year's Ciara Glennon Memorial Law Scholarship.

Western Australia's Chief Justice Wayne Martin QC today presented Catherine Graville, 23, of Victoria Park, with the prestigious scholarship at The University of Western Australia.

Ms Graville has worked as a volunteer for community groups and not-for-profit organisations, including Amnesty International, UWA Guild Volunteering Hub and Consumer Credit Legal Service.

She has been involved with Amnesty International for the past three years and last year took on a leadership role as Convenor of Amnesty International UWA Group.  The UWA group aims to increase human rights awareness on campus by campaigning on issues such as women's rights in Afghanistan, refugee rights and political prisoners.

During 2011 and 2012, Ms Graville was an active participant in the UWA Guild Volunteering Hub, which involved helping high school students with learning difficulties or disabilities learn literacy and numeracy skills.

Last year she participated in the Aurora Native Title Internship Program, which aims to alleviate the workload of solicitors acting for Indigenous claimants by recruiting law student volunteers.  Currently Ms Graville works as a volunteer for Consumer Credit Legal Service, which advises consumers about banking, credit and finance issues.

The Ciara Glennon Memorial Scholarship was established at UWA in 1998 following the death of lawyer Ciara Glennon, and is sponsored by Ashurst (formerly Blake Dawson), the law firm where Ms Glennon worked.  It is awarded annually to a full-time student from UWA's Law School who:

• requires financial assistance to continue their studies;
• makes a recognisable contribution to the community in a charitable, cultural, religious or sporting area;
• demonstrates an active interest in an area outside the practice of law; and
• demonstrates a balanced, well-rounded approach to life and a genuine concern for others.

UWA Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater said Ms Graville more than adequately fulfilled the selection criteria for the scholarship.

"Catherine's substantial contribution to the community reflects the aims of this University, which is to serve the community and the State, and to encourage excellence in all we do," Professor Freshwater said.

Past winners of the Ciara Glennon Scholarship include 2003 Rhodes Scholar Ben Gauntlett and 2010 Rhodes Scholar at Large Jessica Panegyres.

Media references

Catherine Graville (+61 4) 26 504 171
David Stacey (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 32 637 716