Bursaries awarded from Santos, CUC partnership

Ten students have shared in bursaries awarded as part of a partnership between Santos and the Country Universities Centre North West.

In the second year of the bursary program, students who utilise the Narrabri centre were eligible to apply for assistance.

This year’s recipients were Mackenzie Jones, Mietta Smith, Rebecca Gibbs, Rochelle Tones, Cemone Baker, Erin Flower, Sarah Gleeson, Olivia Verrier, Connie Hughes and Saleh Uddin.

Six of the awardees were able to attend last week’s presentation celebration, held at the Doyle Street facility.

Santos representative Abby McClure and CUC North West centre manager Shayne Miller congratulated the recipients.

To be eligible for a bursary, students must live in Narrabri Shire and be registered at the facility.

The financial assistance can be used towards study-related expenses.

Ms Miller said 90 students were registered with the Narrabri centre.

“It’s consistent. We’re now seeing people come to us,” she said, saying that referrals from current and past students played an important role in registration levels remaining consistently high.

The CUC is also doing more in the events and engagement space, including its recent orientation week event as well as graduation celebrations.

“We are doing more engagement with students,” she said.

Ms Miller congratulated the bursary recipients, as well as their registered students, for choosing to study while staying and working in the local community.

“This is something we would really like to continue to facilitate,” she said of the bursary partnership with Santos.

One of the recipients is Sarah Gleeson, who is studying a Diploma of Community Welfare and Wellbeing through UNE, and hopes to use her studies to benefit her work with the Solasta dance studio and organisation she operates.

“It helps me, with a very busy life, to be able to study on the go,” she said.

Erin Flower, who is studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science through the University of Newcastle, is in her third and final year of study. She hopes to do honours next year, with the ultimate goal of being able to provide mental health support.

“It means that I have the support to stay and study in Narrabri, and to continue to be part of the community,” she said.

For Olivia Verrier, who is studying a Bachelor of Criminology with UNE, the Narrabri CUC has made an enormous difference to her studies. Living outside Narrabri, and on a rural property, means that phone and internet reception can be unreliable. However, the modern facilities at the CUC are able to keep her connected.

Olivia praised the support from the CUC staff.

“As an external student, it’s great to be able to have that support here,” she said.

“You also have a cohort of other students you can connect with.”