25 May 2012

Scholarships bring opportunities for students

More than 70 scholarships were awarded at the 2012 RMIT Scholarship Ceremony, thanks to the support of individual and industry donors.

Some 150 donors, staff, students and their families attended the ceremony in Storey Hall.

Professor Colin Fudge, RMIT Pro Vice-Chancellor Design and Social Context and Vice-President, hosted the event.

"These scholarships would not be possible without the generous donations of those people who share RMIT's values of transforming the future for the benefit of people and their communities," he said.

"In 2012 we hope to build our scholarship program so even more students can fulfil their potential at RMIT."

The Emeritus Professor John Jackson Scholarship was awarded for the first time, one of the most significant scholarships on offer at RMIT.

Professor Jackson was a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor Resources at RMIT and co-authored one of Australia's most successful textbooks in economics.

When he died in 2006, he donated the scholarship to RMIT to provide opportunities for disadvantaged students.

Scholarship trustee and General Manager of Melbourne Theatre Company, Ann Tonks, gave a moving speech about the life of Professor Jackson.

"He loved the nature of education, and RMIT, and that's why he gave the scholarship," she said.

RMIT graduate Paul Rogash, who received a Jacques Nasser Scholarship during his studies at RMIT, also spoke about the positive impact of scholarships on students.

Several Jacques Nasser Scholarships were awarded at the ceremony to Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship) students.

Mr Nasser is an RMIT graduate who is now Chairman of BHP Billiton. He established the scholarship at RMIT in 2005 to support young entrepreneurs and innovation.

Next month RMIT is running an appeal to raise more funds to support scholarships for students, research, and other university priorities.