The National Council of Women of Queensland 2023 Bursary Presentation was held on Saturday 16 September at The Women’s College, The University of Queensland.
Twenty-two recipients, including several from regional Queensland, attended to personally accept their bursaries from sponsors, and to acknowledge their gratitude.
Leah Gabriel presented the inaugural Brisbane Women’s Club Bursary for a Brisbane-based, first-year tertiary student, which was awarded to Sally Cairncross.
Dr Ira van der Steenstraten presented awards on behalf of the Queensland Medical Women’s Society, including the bursary to Stephanie Sardinha, a fifth-year medical student researching the assessment and management of patients with eating disorders.
Irene Henley presented the Forum Communicators bursary to Priya Virdee-Hero. This bursary was established to assist women to improve their public speaking skills.
Ronda Nix OAM presented the Kathleen Langan Sport Management Bursary to Eloise Mullins, Regional Manager for Netball Queensland. This bursary is in honour of the late Kathleen Langan, recognising her contribution to sport and its administration when these roles were voluntary and male-dominated.
Majorie Voss OAM presented the Elsie Byth Bursary, sponsored by Dr Susan Byth, to Year 12 student Isabelle Logan.
Noela O’Donnell AM presented two bursaries sponsored by NCWQ. The first was awarded to Hayley Simmons who relocated to Brisbane to complete her degree, and the second bursary was awarded to Farishta Mohammad Ali, who came to Australia in 2013 from Pakistan and is now undertaking her law degree.
Dr Pat Pepper presented the PhD Student Bursary to Carly Whelan, a PhD in Law candidate at the University of Cambridge.
Georgie Balshaw was awarded the Science Bursary, sponsored by June McNicol OAM, and Portia Rennie was awarded the National Council of Jewish Women, Brisbane Section, Bursary, presented by Sheila Levine.
Four bursaries sponsored by the Queensland Government Office for Women were presented by Annie Douglass to Morgan Rooney, Terri Homans, Bianca Vidler and Courtney Peleseuma (absent).
The Boyce Bursaries for Students with a Disability, sponsored by Sue Boyce, were awarded to Casey Feltham (absent) and Lailoma Joya.
Irene Cayas OAM presented the final Val French AM Memorial Bursary for a student in journalism, awarded to Netta Finney.
The DiH Health and Wellbeing Bursary, sponsored by Diane Hickey and presented by Lydia Pitcher, was awarded to Bronwyn Ennis.
The Lady Justice Bursary, sponsored by Senior Sergeant Anna Dwyer and Joanna Robinson, presented by Bridget Cullen, was awarded to Rebecca Le Nguyen.
The Hon. David Littleproud MP Bursary was awarded to Mackenzie Wedrat, from Dalby, currently studying at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
The Senator Susan McDonald Bursary was awarded to Oliva Gilmour, from Miles, currently completing her Masters in Music Therapy in Brisbane.
The City of Moreton Bay Bursary was awarded to Kathleen Tan, a second year Engineering student at The University of Queensland.
The Helen Ovens Memorial Bursary was awarded to Lauren Mather.
The Cr Vicki Howard Bursary was awarded to Anna Hawkins.
A number of bursary recipients were unable to attend the presentation ceremony. The full list of bursaries and the recipients is included in the 2023 Bursary Handbook, which can be downloaded via the link below.