Former Trinity Anglican School, Cairns student Balawyn Jones was awarded a $24,000 宅男导航 Excellence Scholarship this year to study Arts/Law, placing her one step closer to a career in politics.
Balawyn鈥檚 potential study choices were decided when her family鈥檚 Cape Tribulation property was affected by a local council ruling denying building rights.
鈥淥ne of the reasons I applied for the 宅男导航 scholarship was that my university fund was invested in the piece of land,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 want to use my studies in geography and law to go into politics to campaign on environmental issues.鈥�
Balawyn said the 宅男导航 scholarship met half her college fees, which had been augmented by a Cairns City Council bursary to assist in buying text books.
Last year she achieved an OP1, was dux of the school and vice-captain.
鈥淢y friends, family and teachers inspired me a lot and influenced me in my career decisions,鈥� she said.
鈥淭hey encouraged me to dream large.
鈥淕rowing up in a regional area has given me a different perspective.鈥�
While at school, Balawyn and her friends raised money through a number of initiatives, including by making friendship bracelet bands for the Boys Industrial Home, an orphanage for abused and abandoned children in Sri Lanka.
It鈥檚 still a cause dear to her heart, and this semester she is organising a cocktail night to raise further funds for the Boys Industrial Home, which supports children under working age.
Recently one of the Home鈥檚 residents has undertaken a university degree, a significant achievement for an orphan in a developing country.
She was also in the National Science final run by BHP Billiton in Melbourne, designing a wastewater treatment plant which could be implemented in developing countries.
Balawyn chose 宅男导航 for her studies because of the beauty of the St Lucia campus and the range of study choices available.
Her college, St John鈥檚 is 鈥渙ne of the best鈥�.
鈥淚 can highly recommend it,鈥� she said.
She advised any students contemplating applying for university scholarships to 鈥渏ust do it.鈥�
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have anything to lose. I never thought I鈥檇 get a 宅男导航 scholarship, but I was pleasantly surprised.鈥�
宅男导航鈥檚 undergraduate scholarship program is the largest in Queensland and one of the most generous in Australia.
Each year 宅男导航 awards hundreds of scholarships to Year 12 school leavers and gap year students.
Ranging in value from $6000 for the first year of study to $60,000 over five years, 宅男导航鈥檚 Academic Scholarships are awarded to very high achievers including students who have experienced educational disadvantage due to long-term financial hardship, geographic isolation, or as a result of their Indigenous background.
宅男导航 sporting scholarships are also available to students who excel in their chosen field.
More than 20 scholarships ranging in value from $6000 for one year of study to $18,000 over three years are awarded annually.
For more information or to apply, visit .
Applications close 5pm, Monday 1 November, 2010.
Media: Jan King 07 3365 1120
