Lorna Earl & William Woodberry (LEWW) Scholarships
In 2020 the Aurora Education Foundation, in partnership with Good2Give, awarded 10 new NSW university students with the Lorna Earl and William Woodberry (LEWW) Scholarship. This is the second year of this Scholarship, with 15 Scholarships awarded to date.
The LEWW Scholarship Program was established to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to further their education and to contribute to the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s education.
The Aurora Education Foundation recently reached out to both the 2019 and 2020 Scholars to see how these challenging times may have affected them. In summary, they are all doing well and have found the LEWW Scholarship transformative and their universities supportive throughout the pandemic.
One (anonymous) Scholar wrote:
“I am doing well thank you. All my tutors and lecturers have been absolutely amazing at helping us all transition onto online learning. I could not imagine what I would have done had I not been successful for this scholarship. I had to stop working as a result of COVID-19 as I am considered at a higher risk (and therefore working in an extremely busy fast food restaurant did not seem smart). So, I just want to thank LEWW again for this amazing opportunity; you and the team are the sole reason I’m still studying to be a teacher.” |
Another Scholar, Ben McGrory, answered a few questions about what the LEWW Scholarship means to him.
What inspired you to pursue a degree in Law?
As an Indigenous Australian and an LGBT+ person, I have a unique insight into how the Australian legal system has disadvantaged and prevented the advancement of Indigenous communities and the voice of LGBT+ people. Pursuing a degree in Law will give me the legal qualification and knowledge to represent and provide LGBT+ Indigenous Australians with legal support and ways to express themselves through the challenging legal system.
It would help them to have a voice and to bring about meaningful change within the legal system but also legislation to address intergenerational trauma and to expand and protect our communities’ culture and connection to the land. I will be able to work in the legal field and have the technical ability to address legal matters to provide a safe platform for LGBT+ Indigenous Australians – therefore, being a proud and visible part of Australian society.
What made you apply for a LEWW Scholarship?
I always fight to overcome seemingly impossible situations. I never thought I would be able to attend university, let alone Sydney University. The costs associated with studying make it hard to make ends meet. When I applied for the LEWW Scholarship, I knew I would be able to fulfil Lorna and William’s legacy to support Indigenous students. With their help, I would be able to study because I would be able to afford a safe place to call home. You only have one chance to transfer to Sydney Law School, and I wanted to make my community proud and help others. I knew that applying would enable me to do that.
How important is it for Indigenous students to have access to Indigenous based Scholarships like LEWW and why?
Having access to Indigenous based scholarships like the LEWW Scholarship is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty. It does this by providing financial support to afford the cost of living. People do not imagine what it is like having to live in boarding houses or to couch surf to make ends meet. For those who cannot live with family, it would mean having to travel over 5 hours a day to get to university. Some of us cannot return home. It is a life-changing opportunity.
Lorna Earl and William Woodberry bequeathed this scholarship fund to Good2Give with a clear purpose to encourage and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and development of their education. We feel certain that Lorna and William would be proud of their legacy and the impact it is having on students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, enabling them to study at universities in New South Wales (NSW).
| Good2Give services | Aurora Education Foundation |
