IBA Scholarship Fund recipients were formally acknowledged at an awards evening in Canberra in February. The function was hosted by ABC Message Stick’s Miriam Corowa, and guests included the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Secretary Dr Jeff Harmer, IBA Chair Dr Dawn Casey, IBA CEO Chris Fry, Board Directors and staff.

The IBA Scholarship Fund supports mature age Indigenous Australians to achieve nationally recognised qualifications that will enhance the economic and financial development of their communities.

The Fund acknowledges the personal and financial sacrifices that mature age students are often required to make in advancing their personal and career goals. Scholarship recipients receive financial assistance with course fees and textbooks, as well as day-to-day study-related costs including child care and IT equipment.

A guest speaker at the dinner, and a 2010 scholarship recipient, Yvette Carolin shared her experience of studying towards a Bachelor of Commerce at Charles Darwin University.

Receiving a scholarship enabled Yvette to switch from part-time to fulltime study without imposing financial stress on her family. She says she now aims to complete her degree in July 2011, instead of ‘in 2020’. Of reaching her goal Yvette said: ‘Accomplishing a personal life ambition, providing a better standard of living for my family, I can be an ambassador and role model, and I can help my Indigenous people to lead and govern to protect culture and identity’.

2011 Round Scholarship Fund recipients (pictured L:R)

2011 scholarship recipients with Dr Dawn Casey and Dr Jeff Harmer at the awards dinner in Canberra.

Gary Breckenridge (Surfer’s Paradise, QLD), Bachelor of Business at Griffith University

Jennifer Dunne (Melbourne, VIC), Bachelor of Indigenous Community Management and Development at Curtin University

Amy Parry (Lake Munmorah, NSW), Bachelor of Business at the University of Newcastle

Erin Croft (Brisbane, QLD), Diploma of Accounting at Brisbane North Institute of TAFE

Leah Umbagai (Derby, WA), Bachelor of Applied Science at Curtin University

Margaret Blackman (Whiterock, QLD), Bachelor of Business at James Cook University

Delsey Ah Wang (Darwin, NT), Bachelor of Commerce at Deakin University

Worrin Williams (Melbourne, VIC), Bachelor of Commerce at Deakin University

Laura Lovett-Murray (Heywood, VIC), Diploma of Management from the South West TAFE

Tracey Lui (Eli Waters, QLD), Bachelor of Business at the University of Southern Queensland

Melanie Lavelle-Maloney (Cleveland, QLD), Graduate Certificate in Franchising at Griffith University

Sharon Ah Chee (Darwin, NT), Bachelor of Business at the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (not pictured)

Also pictured: IBA Chair, Dr Dawn Casey (eighth from left); Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Secretary, Dr Jeff Harmer (sixth from left); and Alan Holt a 2010 scholarship recipient (far right)