Two Eurobodalla high school students have been awarded scholarships for undergraduate courses at the University of Canberra, as part of Banksia Village Ltd’s new tertiary scholarship program.
Taylar Tisma from Batemans Bay High School and Kate Blackmore from Carroll College are the first students to receive scholarships under Banksia’s program.
Above: Taylor Tisma, one of the first recipients of the Banksia Villages Scholarship, will commence a BA in Nursing in February
Taylar and Kate successfully completed their HSC last year and will begin their studies in February at UC’s Faculty of Health in Canberra. Taylar has enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing, and Kate will undertake a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science.
Both are thrilled to have been selected for the scholarship program. “I am so excited to have this opportunity”, says Taylar. “I’ll be the first in my family to go to uni, and my parents are really proud of me.” Kate, whose main interest is in bio-mechanics and the structure of the body, is also really keen to start her program. “It’s so great to be able to focus now on studying in this area so I can help people with their physical ability”, she says.
Above: Kate Blackmore (R) with Banksia’s Director of Care Leanne Turner. Kate will undertake a BA in Sport and Exercise Science through Banksia's scholarship program.
Taylar has long had an interest in anatomy and how the body works, and knew from an early age that she wanted a career in nursing. Her long term aim is to gain a Registered Nurse qualification and then complete a Masters of Nursing, to prepare her for work as a Nurse Practitioner.
Kate’s involvement in sport as a player, umpire, and coach was one of the factors that led to her interest in re-enablement and rehabilitation. While she will commence her studies with Sport and Exercise Science, she is considering a transfer to physiotherapy as an avenue for helping people improve their well-being.
The merit based annual Banksia Villages Scholarship commenced in 2017, and is open to Year 12 students from St Peter’s Anglican College and Carroll College at Broulee, Moruya High School, and Batemans Bay High School. The scholarship provides funding of $7,500 per student over a three-year period for eligible allied health, nursing, and public health courses offered through the UC Faculty of Health.
Scholarship students will be further supported during their program with work placements at Banksia’s residential aged care facility in Broulee, Banksia Lodge, and through UC.
Banksia’s partnership with UC is part of a range of new education initiatives the not-for-profit charitable company is implementing in pursuit of new and meaningful ways to contribute to excellence and innovation in aged care and to supporting the local Eurobodalla region. Banksia CEO Graham Wise says the scholarship provides an invaluable opportunity for Eurobodalla students to gain professional qualifications in allied health, nursing or public health through a highly regarded and established tertiary institution. “We’re excited to be partnering with UC in this initiative”, said Graham. “The Faculty of Health is widely recognised for producing quality graduates and leading health research, and is currently involved in a number of significant projects in the health field which are very relevant for Banksia, including construction of a hospital and residential aged care facility on its Belconnen ACT campus”, he said. Applications for the 2019 Banksia Villages Ltd scholarship round will open in late 2018. Information about the scholarship program is available on the Banksia Villages website at www.banksiavillage.com.au
