Graduate Women Canterbury Trust’s $25,000 scholarship fund supports Ara female learners
Going away on a work-experience placement is an exciting part of many Ara students’ programmes; however, this can also place added pressure on everyday life, especially with part-time work, children and other competing commitments in the mix.
In recent years, The Graduate Women Canterbury Trust (GWCT) has reviewed their scholarship programme, and in consultation with Ara, has identified the need to shift from merit-based academic scholarships to an approach that financially assists female learners through their compulsory placements and block courses.
In 2020, the GWCT generously allocated $25,000 of support scholarships to 26 female students from Ara, across the degree programmes within midwifery, medical imaging, nursing and social work. These programmes, which span the health and human services industries, typically feature work placements in order to introduce students to real-life work experiences before they enter their career of choice.
The financial support provided by GWCT has been shown to make a significant different in the lives of female students from Ara, as they work to achieve their study and career goals.
“It is a privilege for Ara to be working in partnership with GWCT in the awarding of these scholarships. Women studying at Ara are often juggling many commitments alongside their study so the support offered to them from this fund is immense,” says Dr Glynnis Brook, Executive Director, Academic Innovation and Research Division. Megan Clayton, Chair of the GWCT Board said that herself and her fellow board members, as women who have come through tertiary education, really empathise with the juggling and pressure associated with study. Clayton said she’s humbled to hear that the scholarship is having a positive impact.
“In some ways we recognise that we’ve moved on from a time where the specific issue for women in education was the ability for women to get into higher education. Now we realise that often the challenge isn’t to enrol in a programme, but the ability to stay in a programme when family members and life in general need to be taken care of. So to hear that we can make an immediate difference with the funding is really gratifying, and we’re just delighted really!”
The GWCT has a long-standing relationship with Ara which involves providing academic regalia for Graduation, the highlight of the tertiary calendar. Each year funding is made available from the hire of regalia through the Graduate Women Canterbury Trust’s non-profit arm ‘GWC Regalia Hire’.
Ara supports the work and mission of GWCT in advocating for women’s rights, equality and empowerment by helping women to overcome financial barriers to academic study. Ultimately, this improves employment opportunities for women in Canterbury, by ensuring they can make the most of their placement experiences without experiencing discouraging financial anxieties. Applications for this scholarship will re-open in September 2021 and Ara and GWCT look forward to receiving many more applications.