Woolyungah Indigenous Student Success Fund - University of Wollongong

About Woolyungah Indigenous Student Success Fund

At the University of Wollongong (UOW), we are committed to walking alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to close the gap in education outcomes and community wellbeing.

Indigenous students at UOW are supported through the Woolyungah Indigenous Centre – a culturally grounded, community-first space that many describe as a home away from home. Whether students arrive with strong community connections or are forging new ones, Woolyungah provides holistic support – from tutoring and mentoring, to food, housing, employment and leadership opportunities. It’s a place where students are seen, heard and empowered to thrive.

The Woolyungah Indigenous Centre Student Success Fund plays a vital role in this journey. Your generous gift supports Indigenous students through scholarships and grants to ease their financial pressures, assist with safe accommodation, and enable students to return to Country for important ceremonial responsibilities and connection, all while providing a stable and ongoing cultural support. 

By contributing, you are not only helping Indigenous students succeed – you’re also investing in a future shaped by equity, connection and cultural strength. Together, we can create a brighter tomorrow for all.

Donate now

About the Artwork: Brittney Angus (2024) Collective Journey: Weaving Indigenous Futures, [Digital art], Indigenous Education & Engagement Strategy, University of Wollongong

Meet Ray McGill

UOW alum Ray is a data analyst, an entrepreneur, a musician, and one of UOW's youngest scholarship donors. Ray established a scholarship to provide access to further education and opportunities for Indigenous students.

Lizzie: We're meeting UOW alumni Ray. He's a data analyst, an entrepreneur, a musician, and one of UOW's youngest scholarship donors. Hello, how are you?

Ray: Good, how we doing?

Lizzie: Good. Tell me who you are.

Ray: My name is Ray, I'm a former student alumni of University of Wollongong and current donor.

Lizzie: How does it feel to be back on campus today? Because you haven't been here for a while, I imagine.

Ray: Yeah, it's been a little while. Yeah, it's really nice.

Lizzie: So what brought you to UOW?

Ray: So I finished high school in Nowra. Didn't know what kind of job I might get or anything like that. So I thought I'd better go to uni and do some study.

Lizzie: And you came here to study Geoscience? Did 17 or 18 year old Ray know what he wanted to do when he finished uni?

Ray: No, not at all.

Lizzie: So can you tell me about the Ray McGill Scholarship?

Ray: Something I set up a couple of years ago to assist Indigenous students to get the opportunity to come to university essentially.

Lizzie: What was the catalyst for you to start that scholarship?

Ray: It seems like education is a great way to help reduce poverty cycles. I lived in housing commission when I was a teenager and ended up into this position of being quite fortunate and how that came about was essentially I had a degree which got me a bunch of jobs.

Lizzie: So why did you choose to create this scholarship with Wollongong Uni?

Ray: Well, because this is where it started for me in my journey. Wollongong is an important place for a university. It just made sense.

Lizzie: The students that you provide scholarships for, what do you want to see them achieve?

Ray: Even just getting the chance to start is great. Yeah, hopefully they can go on to inspire other people and their families or communities to go to university as well. And be the circuit breaker in the poverty cycles that exist around the place.

Lizzie: Someone who maybe doesn't have the role models of people before them that have gone to uni, what would you tell someone that's in that position?

Ray: You can always be the first. If you apply yourself, you can get through and it opens up a lot of doors, so don't die wondering, give it a shot.

Lizzie: Well, thank you so much for joining us. How did it feel being back on campus?

Ray: Yeah, really nice. Really nice.

Lizzie: Alright, well we've got to get you back to Melbourne, so let's head off.