By Alesha Capone
Thomas Carr College graduate Ating Maker has been granted a prestigious scholarship to support her tertiary studies.
Ating, 18, completed her VCE at the Tarneit school last year and will soon commence a bachelor of science at the University of Melbourne.
Ating is one of 20 students across Australia to receive the university’s Hansen Scholarship, which provides students with up to $108,000 for accommodation and educational costs.
The scholarship is administered by the Hansen Little Foundation, which is headed by Melbourne University deputy chancellor Jane Hansen and Australian Grand Prix Corporation chairman Paul Little.
To qualify for the scholarship, students must achieve an ATAR of at least 90.
Although Ating’s ATAR score was 89, she impressed the scholarship panel so much that they decided to grant her the scholarship.
“Jane was so lovely, they called and said, ‘We saw your ATAR, it was so incredibly close, it would be cruel to not give the scholarship to you’,” Ating said.
“I was in shock, I started crying. I told my mum and she started crying.”
Ating, a refugee from South Sudan, said she has worked in retail for the past few years because she wanted to support herself.
She said she hoped to complete her science degree and then study medicine.
“I’ve got my heart set on becoming a doctor, my father passed away from malaria overseas when I was very young,” she said.
Ating said there was a discrepancy in countries such as America and Australia – which has been free of malaria since 1981 – and poorer nations.
“I want to become a doctor and travel overseas to share my knowledge and insight to help prevent these diseases,” she said.
Ating said she wanted to thank the Little Foundation for its generosity.
“It’s amazing how Paul and Jane give back to people in need, they are just amazing people, so inspiring and it restores my faith in humanity,“ she said.
