Scholarship recipients grasp opportunities with both hands

The generosity of Old Collegians inspired Class of 2018 student Andrew Duan to take his College experience “with both hands”.

Andrew, the recipient of the Philip Hall Scholarship, was one of the select group of Victorian students who achieved the highest possible ATAR of 99.95 last year. Not only was he an academic high achiever, he also made the most of the opportunities on offer at the College by taking part in music, debating and leadership roles.

“The knowledge that my education at the College has been crucially supported and even made possible by this scholarship has encouraged me to take it with both hands – to make the most of the rich opportunities, small and large, offered by the College in both academic and co-curricular domains and to partake in my studies with conviction and enthusiasm. For this I am truly grateful,” Andrew said.

“Moreover, the scholarship has allowed me to appreciate the strong sense of community in the College and the pivotal role it plays in the educational experiences of us students. This has driven me to give back to the community through leadership roles and miscellaneous opportunities (for example, tour guiding), as well as seeking to be a positive and committed member of the community at all times – indeed, kindness and respect to make an incredible difference.”

Scholarships and bursaries funded by generous College community members such as Philip Hall (OGC 1936) and Dr George Tippett (OGC 1940) opens the College gates to worthy students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend.

“Without this assistance, I would not be the person I am today and it has shaped me and offered me a lifetime of memories and opportunities unlike any other school,” Keeley Troop (OGC 2018) said.

“Without Dr Tippett’s bursary, I would have never been able to travel to Vietnam with the Fulfilling Lives program and witness firsthand how our assistance and hard work can impact those in a less fortunate community. This trip was extremely eye-opening for myself and those around me and getting to live amongst those in the village was something I’ll never forget, and a feeling I’ll never be able to recreate,” she said.

Both Andrew and Keeley spoke glowingly about their time at College. “Not only have the academic programs and extra-curricular opportunities been outstanding but I have also met many amazing people (some of whom, I know, would not have attended this school had it not been for scholarships) who have given me great support and inspired me to be kind, diligent, resilient, loving and, most importantly, courageous,” Andrew said.

“Whilst not every day was easy and not every test result was what I aimed for, all the bumps in the road made me a better, stronger person and it’s all thanks to the amazing staff and students I received constant support from since 2013. I will never forget my time at College and the lessons I learnt (both in the classroom and beyond), the amazing people I met and the activities I participated in and I have Dr Tippett to thank for changing my life completely.”