We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you personalised advertising. To find out more, read our privacy policy and cookie policy

Skip to Content
University of Wollongong Australia. Logo. University of Wollongong Australia. Logo. University of Wollongong Australia. Logo.
  • Search
  • Give
  • Library
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • UOW Global
    • Our global presence
    • UOW in Dubai
    • UOW in Hong Kong
    • UOW in Malaysia
  • Menu
  • Study at UOW

    • Courses
    • Apply
    • Scholarships & grants
    • Accommodation
    • High-school students
    • Non-school leavers
    • Postgraduate students
    • International students
    • Moving to Wollongong
    • Study abroad & exchange
    • Global sport programs
    • Campuses
    Study at UOW
  • Engage

    • Future student
    • Alumni
    • Visit UOW
    • Woolyungah Indigenous Centre
    • Volunteer
    • The Stand Magazine
    • Community Members
    • Grants and funding
    • Give to UOW
    • Visit the Library
    • Key contacts
    • Educators & school teachers
    Engage with us
  • About UOW

    • Welcome
    • Our people
    • Services
    • Contacts
    • What's on
    • Global presence
    • Media Centre
    • Faculties & schools
    • Our vision & strategy
    • Our Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Strategy
    • Our reputation & experience
    • Locations, campuses & partners
    See more about UOW
  • Research

    • Our research
    • Researcher support
    • Research impact
    • Partnership & collaboration
    • Graduate Research School
    • Commercial research
    • Global Challenges
    • Media, news & events
    • Find an expert
    • Our people
    See more about research
  • Industry

    • Generator Lab
    • Advantage SME
    • Success stories
    • Industry research engagement
    • Equipment & Labs
    • Funding opportunities
    • Intellectual property
    • Collaboration for business
    • Collaboration for researchers
    See more about Industry
  • Alumni

    • Benefits
    • Outlook Magazine
    • Events & webinars
    • Volunteer
    • Awards
    • Honorary alumni
    • Testamurs & transcripts
    • Update your details
    • Your career journey
    • Contact us & FAQ
    See more about alumni
  • Quick links

    • Contact directory
    • Staff Intranet
    • Campus maps
    • Transport & parking
    • Key dates
    • Events
    • Password management
    • Jobs
    • Accommodation
    • Policy directory
  • Library
You are here More Pages
  • Home
  • About UOW
  • Media Centre
  • 2022
  • New scholarship aims to grow Indigenous education pathways

Media Quick Links

  • Contact UOW Media
  • Visiting campus
  • Image library
  • UOW key facts
  • Find an expert
  • News Corp subscription
  • Sign up for the latest news from UOW Media

December 16, 2022


  • Story By
  • Benjamin Long
  • Photo By
  • Paul Jones
Share
Type
Media Release
Category
Community
Tags
IllawarraScholarshipsPathway to UOWVocational Pathways

UOW in the News

New scholarship aims to grow Indigenous education pathways

Aunty Linda Cruse Scholarship supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to study at UOW college


The University of Wollongong’s (UOW) Woolyungah Indigenous Centre and UOW College Australia have launched a new scholarship to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

The Aunty Linda Cruse Scholarship is for Indigenous students who aspire to achieve a higher education or vocational qualification through study at UOW College.

The full fee-paying scholarship covers all tuition fees that would normally be borne by the student. All UOW College courses, including pathway courses to a bachelor degree at UOW or courses for career-ready qualification in fitness, nursing, ageing support or individual support, are eligible for the scholarship.

Aunty Linda Cruse was a committed activist who paved the way for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to access educational pathways through UOW.

In the 1980s Aunty Linda successfully lobbied for funding to establish an Aboriginal Education Centre (AEC) at UOW. The approved building was purposefully built at the westernmost point on campus, right under the feet of Djeera (Mt Keira) which welcomed the first of our Aboriginal students in the 1980s and continues to do so today.

Members of Aunty Linda’s family attended a ceremony to officially launch the scholarship at the Woolyungah Indigenous Centre. They were joined by community members and members of the senior leadership teams from UOW and UOW College, including Vice-Chancellor Professor Patricia Davidson.

Professor Davidson said the University and UOW College were honoured to recognise an extraordinary Aboriginal leader with so many of her family members present, and proud to continue the realisation of Aunty Linda’s vision.

“This is such a great opportunity for UOW College to recognise a powerful, resilient and humble woman who did so much for our community,” Professor Davidson said.

“We recognise that increasingly financial barriers prohibit people from coming to university. Even if you defer the tuition payment, you've still got to get here and pay rent. So we're trying as many strategies as we can to support our students financially and the Aunty Linda Cruse scholarship is one of those means. 

“However, it's not just the financial contribution that makes a difference, it's also the support and the symbolism and the mentorship that comes with these scholarships. And importantly, with our Woolyungah Indigenous Centre here, there is connectivity to culture, to community, to country, but also that support that is critically needed.

“The name of the scholarship will be emblematic to the students who follow Aunty Linda and we think this is a wonderful way to honour her memory. We are very excited to see the phenomenal young Aboriginal people who are going to follow in her footsteps.”

Scholarship recipient Mace Beveridge, 15, will be one of those following the path Aunty Linda Cruse made.

“I'm doing the UEP, which is a university entrance program, and that's just basic scientific thinking, language and maths. And with that I can do medicine (Diploma of Medical and Health Sciences) next year,” Mace said.

“The scholarship means a lot to me actually, because if I can successfully complete my UEP and start my medicine degree at the age of 15, then it might encourage other people to get the scholarship and that would be really great.”

Applications for the Aunty Linda Cruse Scholarship are now open, further details are available here: https://www.uowcollege.edu.au/current-students/fees/domestic-fees/aunty-linda-cruse-scholarship/

Media Assets for this article

  • Images

Media Contacts for this article

UOW Media Office

You may also be interested in

Australia Day awards and honours for academics and community members
Dragons Community and High Performance Centre update
Soft plastics in the spotlight as iAccelerate holds community meeting
Services & Help
  • Current students
  • Library
  • Information technology
  • Accommodation
  • Security & safety
  • Pool, gym & retail
News, Media & Events
  • Media Centre
  • The Stand
  • Alumni Magazine
  • Research news
  • Events
  • Find an expert
Faculties
  • Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities
  • Business & Law
  • Engineering & Information Sciences
  • Science, Medicine & Health
Administration
  • Graduation
  • Environment
  • Policy directory
  • Learning and teaching
  • Financial Services
  • Access to information
  • Jobs
UOW Entities
  • Innovation Campus
  • UOW College Australia
  • UOW College Hong Kong
  • UOW in Dubai
  • UOW Global Enterprises
  • UOW Malaysia KDU
  • UOW Pulse
Connect with us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Conversation
  • Contact us
  • Feedback
  • Give to UOW

Northfields Ave Wollongong,  NSW 2522  Australia 
Phone: 1300 367 869 
International: +61 2 4221 3218 
Switchboard: +61 2 4221 3555

  • NUW Alliance: Smarter Solutions for NSW
  • University Global Partnership Network (UGPN)
  • Reconciliation Australia
  • AWEI LGBTQ inclusion awards logo

Aboriginal flag Torres Strait Islander flag

On the lands that we study, we walk, and we live, we acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians and cultural knowledge holders of these lands.

Copyright © 2023 University of Wollongong
CRICOS Provider No: 00102E | TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12062 | ABN: 61 060 567 686
Copyright & disclaimer | Privacy & cookie usage | Web Accessibility Statement

Close