Two brothers’ self-discovery through scholarship support

As teenagers, brothers Calvin and Ken felt their career prospects were limited – both due to their perceived capabilities and financial circumstances.

But both brothers ended up choosing courses they may never have considered thanks to generous donors who contribute to scholarship support.

_{Ken (left) and Calvin (right) studying together at the Parkville campus.}

Calvin has just completed his Bachelor of Arts degree and is starting an Honours year, while Ken is now a second-year Bachelor of Commerce student – and the foundational experiences they have gained along the way are leading them towards understanding their true potential.

As a high school student applying for university, Calvin felt he had to consider factors that conflicted with his passions, interests and dreams.

“There was both internal and external pressure for me to find a degree that gave me a job straight out of uni,” he said.

“And that was mostly because I was thinking about the investment of it. I wondered if it would be foolish to do arts, because I could be investing money only to come out of uni with no job.”

Ken had a similar perspective when it was his turn to apply for university. “I wondered, realistically, with the degrees I was considering, how far would I need to progress in my career before I could start paying back my HECS.”

For both brothers, receiving the unexpected support of a scholarship at the University of Melbourne provided an opportunity to see things differently.

Neither applied for a scholarship directly but were automatically considered after meeting the criteria for their scholarships through the details provided in their university course applications.

This process that takes the burden off students like Calvin and Ken to prove their case for support.

“Having financial support alleviated a lot of that pressure to be immediately employable,” said Calvin.

“I could explore jobs in my industry, extracurriculars in arts, and find a grounding for my career.”

Similarly for Ken, receiving support through the Narrm Scholarship Program was a key factor in his decision to study commerce at the University.

“It gave me the confidence to know that even if I go down this commerce path, there's always an avenue I can take in a new direction.”

Support fuelling advocacy

One significant way that scholarship support enriched Calvin’s Bachelor of Arts experience was enabling him to pursue an exchange program and internship.

“The money that I had from my scholarship was a big motivating factor, even in just allowing me to apply, because I didn't see a financial barrier in front of me,” he said.

“I think that's an indicator of the stress-relieving factor of scholarships – doors are open and it’s very freeing.”

_{Calvin standing outside the Glyn Davis building.}

One such opportunity that Calvin pursued was a summer internship at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in Canberra.

“We focused on improving service delivery for those most vulnerable,” he shared, and Calvin’s team drilled down on ideas to make vital grant access more accessible and equitable in small community organisations.

“One of the things I realised is how a small grant makes such a difference in some communities, but many aren’t resourced to apply.”

Calvin was reminded of his experience receiving scholarship support at the University – if students facing disadvantage can be offered support without needing to apply, could the same process be applied to other vulnerable communities?

“I think there's a lot of self-doubt in applying for grants or scholarships. You always think, ‘this grant seems really good, but probably, someone else will get it’ – so taking out the application process out is very stress-relieving,” shared Calvin.

“That led to a discussion with my team about a future where grants weren't awarded based on how well someone writes an application – they’re allocated on a needs basis.”

Beyond contributing ideas to the government on how to better assist underserved communities, Calvin is also choosing an impactful line of research for his Honours year.

“My thesis in sociology will be investigating the impact of single sex education on gendered violence and gendered norms,” he shared.

“There will be opportunities to continue with more research – Honours opens up the doors to a PhD, or I could go into work in a research field.”

This exploration of his potential reflects Calvin’s newly developed philosophy: “Only open doors – don’t close them. Even if I change my mind, I should always try.”

Finding voice

While Calvin was finalising his bachelor's degree, Ken started his commerce degree as a Narrm Scholar.

Beyond the financial support, Ken also found the enrichment component of the program incredibly empowering.

“That support helped me in many aspects – small things like writing a resume, setting up a LinkedIn page and how to be professional in a job interview,” shared Ken.

_{Ken standing outside the Glyn Davis building.}

Beyond gaining these practical skills to help secure internship opportunities, the enrichment program was also transformational for Ken’s confidence and personal development.

“The Student Ambassador Program was advertised to me through the Narrm Scholarship Program, and its empowered me to do things I never thought I would be able to do,” shared Ken, who had always considered himself a shy person.

“I was asked to speak at the Vice Chancellor's dinner with a bunch of principals from high schools about the Narrm Scholarship Program, and that meant a lot to me.”

Calvin is proud of the opportunities his younger brother has pursued as a Narrm Scholar, too.

“My perspective on it is that he's opened himself up to opportunity, because when we were younger, Ken was a very risk averse person,” shared Calvin.

“I think these experiences have been a good indicator that his confidence has grown, not only through the scholarship program, but also at university.”

Having realised he gains immense enjoyment from advocating for students and encouraging them to pursue their dreams, Ken’s sense of self has adapted.

“I realise now I like to talk just as much as Calvin when I do student ambassador work!” he said.

Ken also thinks a communications, people-focused career could be in his future – a great departure from the purely STEM-related career he imagined for himself in high school.

The ripple effect

While Calvin reflects on the impact of scholarship support on both himself and his brother, he is also grateful for the flow-on effect to his entire family.

“The way the Narrm Scholarship Program is awarded meant we both had the opportunity to receive support, and our entire family as a whole has been impacted by the scholarships that we've both received,” shared Calvin.

“My mum tells me all the time that this financial support has meant she can focus on other, important things. Both she and my dad work and care for family members full time.”

The generosity of donors who contribute to scholarship programs has not only fostered growth in Calvin and Ken through their studies, but also helped strengthen their entire family unit.

“Families experience things together, particularly hardships, and the benefit exceeds just the individual.”

Help more students facing disadvantage explore their potential by giving to the Narrm Scholarship Program.