Redefining success through a law scholarship
Receiving the Price Scholarship to study law has given Gonya security, stability and a new relationship with success – one that can lift her family and empower her community.
Gonya, Price Scholarship recipient.
Gonya was born and raised in Launceston, Tasmania. She studied both sciences and humanities in secondary school and was undecided between the two. It was a turn of events in South Sudan that focused her sights on law.
“My mother’s family home, back in Juba, was taken by people who wanted to sell the property to international developers. They forged her death certificate to legitimise the sale. We were contacted by friends in South Sudan who told us about the fraud. Trying to sort it out from Australia was incredibly stressful for my parents.”
“I realised that, being such a young country, the rule of law is practically non-existent in South Sudan and corruption is rife. There’s a lack of legal literacy in the community. I could see a clear need for someone like me to communicate constitutional rights to the community and examine legal reform to support equity and justice.”
Finding a path to law
Gonya first heard about the University of Melbourne through a teacher, then attended a ‘Meet Melbourne’ information evening in Launceston. Her parents had reservations about her applying to an interstate university, concerned they could not fund the cost of living in Melbourne throughout her degrees.
“I understood their frustration, but I felt I needed to take the step and apply, then see what kind of support might be available,” says Gonya. She gained a place in the Bachelor of Arts and received a partial scholarship from Trinity College, which she supplemented with a casual job at a supermarket, and later at the Magistrates' Court of Victoria.
Once she graduated, Gonya applied for the Juris Doctor (JD). ”I built up my personal confidence to apply, but my circumstances – my socioeconomic background and my parents’ circumstances – were weighing me down. I had to trust that external supports would be available to help me take the next step.”
That trust was well placed. Gonya was offered a Commonwealth Supported Place and awarded a Price Scholarship, enabling her to accept her JD offer and stay in Melbourne.
The Price Scholarship
Established in 2015 by Malcolm Price (BCom 1983; LLB Hons 1983) and Cathy Price, the Price Scholarship provides a living allowance for three years to high-achieving JD students from regional or remote areas of Australia who are experiencing disadvantaged circumstances.
Malcolm and Cathy are passionate about supporting dedicated students students to succeed in their studies and go on to make a positive impact on the world through the problem-solving skills they gain through studying Law.
On meeting Malcom, Gonya says: “It was very inspiring. Malcolm grew up in Ballarat and after studying in Melbourne, he worked as a lawyer. He has had an impressive career because he followed his passions and curiosity. He decided to work in finance so he went to Harvard Business School and really applied himself and walked towards his new future with confidence.”
Reflecting on the impact of the scholarship, Gonya says, “By setting up the Price Scholarship, they are providing vital support so that more students like me can walk into unfamiliar spaces with confidence.”
That confidence extends into every aspect of Gonya’s studies. “As someone who could never decide between sciences and humanities, law is the perfect intellectual challenge for me! I’ve become enchanted with the formulaic nature of law, how it melds the nuance and curiosities of English comprehension with the logical sequencing of mathematics. We analyse how cases are written, then use stable structures to apply them to different scenarios.”
Holding steady through uncertainty
The fate of Gonya’s mother’s house in Juba remains uncertain. The perpetrators were apprehended, the death certificate was proven fraudulent, and the house secured. Once the perpetrators were released from custody, however, they removed the chains from the front gate and moved back in.
Meanwhile, the Price Scholarship has kept Gonya steady and focused on her studies. "When I was offered a place in the JD, it was very stressful working out how I would cover rent and groceries.”
Receiving the scholarship has given me security and stability.
“But, even more importantly, receiving the Price Scholarship helped me reframe my mindset when it comes to my academic success. Growing up, my parents often reminded me that they sacrificed everything so I could achieve anything. I came to see sacrifice and achievement as a carefully weighted scale, feeling that my success came at their expense.”
“But now, freed from that burden, I can use my successes to raise up my family and empower my community. I have a better relationship with how I succeed.”
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