• In 2021 Charles Sturt University will award 370 scholarships worth more than $1.8 million
• At Charles Sturt in Dubbo 13 students received scholarships worth $46,800 in total
• Nursing student Ms Emily James from Parkes, NSW, received the Moya Crowe Memorial Scholarship and the Indyamarra Scholarship

Scholarships valued at $46,800 were presented to 13 recipients at the annual Charles Sturt University scholarship presentation ceremony at Dubbo RSL Club from 6pm to 8pm on Tuesday 18 May.

Across the University, the Charles Sturt University Foundation will award 370 scholarships worth more than $1.8 million at five regional ceremonies over the next two weeks.

At Charles Sturt in Dubbo Ms Emily James (pictured centre) from Parkes, NSW, was the 2021 recipient of the Moya Crowe Memorial Scholarship and the Indyamarra Scholarship and delivered the Scholar’s Vote of Thanks address at the ceremony.

Ms James is a proud young Wiradjuri woman studying a Bachelor of Nursing in the Charles Sturt School of Nursing Midwifery and Indigenous Health.

“The scholarships will provide financial assistance throughout my final year of university and assist my clinical learning, especially as 11 weeks of clinical placement away from home can be financially stressful and sometimes hard to manage,” Ms James said.

“This financial assistance will also help me purchase textbooks and clinical equipment that will allow me to successfully graduate my last year of university while maintaining a high grade point average (GPA) and completing all my clinical placement,” she said.

Ms James said she is highly motivated to obtain her accreditation as an Aboriginal Registered Nurse, to help make the change she wants to see and help bring about improvements to Indigenous people’s health.

“I look forward to the day that I as an Aboriginal nurse I can make a difference to all community members in their healthcare journeys,” she said.

“I want to help provide them with the comfort, trust and safety they deserve through encouragement and providing a safe, respectful and culturally-friendly environment.”

Ms James said her driving influence and motivation stems from her family and the Indigenous community.

“Throughout my childhood it was painful to witness family members pass away and become statistics in the early mortality rate of our Indigenous population due to diseases and illnesses that could have been treated and prevented,” she said.

“They were let down by the lack of knowledge, and by barriers and stereotypes within the healthcare system, and lack of access to health services.

“I want to further my knowledge and skills through studying at master’s level and specialise in intensive care unit or r emergency department nursing, and I plan to one day become a university lecturer and teach Indigenous health.”

The Milestone Donors at Charles Sturt in Dubbo this year are Roger and Jean Morrow (pictured) who have supported the Charles Sturt Foundation Trust for 22 years, and provide the Indyamarra Scholarships and Prizes.