Three Queensland students commenced their university studies in 2013 with added confidence and financial certainty thanks to a new Griffith scholarship.
Saskia Gilmour of Narangba, Nai Ming Lai of MacGregor and Caitlin Chan of Ashmore have been awarded the Deans’ Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship, which is valued at $60,000. The Deans’ scholarship was offered for the first time last year, to outstanding year 12 graduates, commencing an undergraduate degree in 2013.
Saski Gilmour from the Narangba Valley State High School, will study a bachelor of fine arts at the Queensland College of Arts (QCA) at South Bank.
Saskia received an OP1 in 2012, but had taken a gap year and was weighing up her options about what to study and where, when a friend who was studying at the QCA told her about the Deans’ Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship programs and recommended that she follow her passion for the arts at the QCA.
“This friend, who had seen my work and knew how I loved to paint, told me that it would be a disservice to humanity if I didn’t do fine arts at the QCA. “
Thanks to her, I have also had a personal tour of the campus, which really sold me on studying at Griffith. I think the QCA really is the best facility for studying the fine arts here in Queensland.”
Nai Ming Lai received an OP1 and a perfect score of 99.95 as he graduated from Brisbane Grammar School in 2012.
His hard work and academic achievements really paid off when he received the good news about the Deans’ scholarship, which will support him with the costs of a studying a medical degree.
Nai has had his heart set on becoming a doctor from an early age, due to a childhood spent ‘hanging around’ at his father’s dental practice.
“My Dad is a practicing orthodontist and specialist paediatric dentist. So I have always been very interested in dentistry and medicine.
“I have also been passionate about the sciences ever since I first picked up an Encyclopaedia, he said. But when I told my high school maths teachers that I wanted to study medical science at Griffith and not Engineering, they looked at me like I had sprouted a second head.”
Nai learned of the bachelor of medical science as a pathway to studying medicine during a visit by Griffith at his school. He decided to follow it up with his guidance counsellor and found out about the new scholarship opportunity as well.
“Griffith is emerging as one of the best Medical facilities in the country,” he said. “And I think people are looking to study there because of the greater focus on they place on students, as well as the amazing new facilities they are developing.
“The new Gold Coast University Hospital and Griffith Health Centre look amazing, so I can’t wait to start my training there.”
Caitlin Chan graduated with an OP1 from Trinity Lutheran College and will study a bachelor of science at the Gold Coast campus.
“I had heard about the scholarships through my careers advisor, who said that with my grades I had a good chance of getting it and that I should go for it. I checked it out on the website and thought to myself, that’s a really good sum of money. So I gave it a go,” said Caitlin.
“I was studying the top six academic classes at school, which are English, Maths B, Maths C, Physics, Biology and Chemistry, which was loads of fun,” she says with a wry smile.
“I was hoping for an OP2, but my older brother bet I’d get a three and Mum bet on a two, so when I got the OP1, it was a great surprise.
“It was even better when I got the news about the scholarship just before Christmas. That made a really nice present.”
With over 400 scholarships to the value of $4 million on offer, Griffith University scholarships are some of the most rewarding and supportive university scholarship programs in Australia.
Visit our website for further information – www.griffith.edu.au/scholarships