Bond University’s Indigenous Scholarship Program is committed to making a difference in the lives of Indigenous Australians and underpinning the national ‘Close the Gap’ policy by encouraging Indigenous school-leavers to undertake tertiary education.
2015 scholarship recipient, Bethany Allen, is making the most of the opportunity and has made Bond University her second home. Her involvement with Bond has also become a family affair with her Mother now working in the Student Business Centre.
Bethany is currently undertaking a double degree with majors in International Diplomacy and Media Studies and the former Benowa High School student continues to actively pursue community involvement which made her scholarship application stand out from the rest.
“My Bond scholarship has changed my life immeasurably. I’m getting to do things I would never have dared to dream about,” she said.
Not only active in the Bond International Relations Student Association and looking after Promotions and Events for the Drama Society, Bethany also mentors local Indigenous high school kids through the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience.
Additionally she is involved with the Bond Indigenous Awareness Society which also includes the Jingerri barbeques, Corrigan Art Tours and cultural immersion days.
Many of Bond’s Indigenous students go to the Nyombil Centre to meet new friends and discuss Indigenous culture and Bethany is there almost 8am daily and stays late into the afternoon.
“My parents raised me to be proud of my Indigenous heritage but that’s been strengthened so much more for me since coming to Bond,” she said.
“I feel much more confident speaking out. We have discussions at Nyombil all the time about cultural issues and family histories and the tensions a lot of that stuff has caused.”
“In my family, my father was never allowed to say he was Indigenous because, in his parents’ day, that would have meant you couldn’t go to school.”
“It’s very different now. I love seeing Indigenous children getting involved in didgeridoo lessons and traditional dancing at school, and learning the old languages. Here at Bond, I get the opportunity to share Aboriginal culture and histories with students from all over the world at the Jingerri barbeques and through the art tours and other BIAS events.”
“We still have a long way to go but I’m really proud to be part of that process.”
“The Indigenous scholarship has completely changed the future I am able to see for myself. Bond has given me the tools I need to build both a career and a community, and has even strengthened my cultural ties. Without the scholarship, I might never have been able to come to Bond and have the opportunity and community that I am so lucky to have.”
The Robina Group is a proud sponsor of the Indigenous scholarship program and encourage other Gold Coast City businesses to throw their support behind the Indigenous Scholarship Program. We wish Bethany the best of luck with completing her studies and forging a pathway beyond Bond.
