Indigenous Scholars to Attend World-Best Universities with Scholarships for Academic Excellence & Commitment to Community

Indigenous Scholars to Attend World-Best Universities with
Scholarships for Academic Excellence & Commitment to Community

August 2024: Leading Indigenous education non-profit, the Aurora Education Foundation (Aurora), has today announced the recipients of its international scholarships, which will see five Indigenous scholars attend the world’s most prestigious universities.
Among this year’s recipients are two Charlie Perkins Scholars and three Roberta Sykes Scholars, who will study at institutions including the University of Oxford, King’s College London and one of the world’s most important centres for global earth science research and education, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Aurora’s programs work to remove systemic barriers that stand in the way of Indigenous potential being realised. 15 years ago, there had never been an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person graduate from Oxford or Cambridge. Today, almost 100 Indigenous postgraduate scholars have studied or taught at these and other top universities through Aurora’s scholarship programs.

Aurora’s CEO, Leila Smith, explains that these scholarships reinforce Indigenous achievement, excellence and leadership.
“Our 2024 scholarship recipients are part of a growing cohort of Indigenous students who reflect the diversity of Indigenous excellence, commitment to community and influencing meaningful change in their fields. I am incredibly proud of our newest scholars, and look forward to seeing the impact of their experience over the coming years” Leila said.

This year’s scholars include:

• Warumungu man and Roberta Sykes Scholar, Ethan Taylor. Ethan has previously completed a Master of Philosophy in Politics at the University of Oxford with the support of a Charlie Perkins Scholarship. This year, he will be returning to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy in Politics. Ethan aims to bring Indigenous Australian justice to the front of public discourse and to make his research accessible and digestible for the general public. He strives to inject his lived experiences into academic political philosophy and use this to drive deep, structural change for First Nations peoples.
• Wardandi Noongar woman and Roberta Sykes Scholar, Danielle Kampers. Danielle graduated from James Cook University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science and has since been working as a Graduate Marine Scientist at the Australian Institute of Marina Science in Perth. She is about to begin a Master of Science in Oceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. Upon completing her degree, Danielle hopes to return to Australia and complete her PhD on the role of artificial intelligence in aquaculture, specifically relating to seafood farming.
• Warumungu woman and Roberta Sykes Scholar, Madeline (Mady) Wills. Mady has a strong passion for understanding psychological principles and their interaction with socio-cultural impacts such as trauma, racism and Aboriginal epistemologies. Mady holds a Bachelor of Arts from Deakin University, completed her Honours in Psychology at Monash University, and has been invited to speak at conferences on mental health both in Australia and around the world. In a few months’ time, Mady will begin a Master of Science in Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology at King’s College London.
• Gamilaroi woman and Charlie Perkins Scholar, Brooke Boney. Brooke graduated from the University of Technology Sydney in 2014 with a Bachelor of Communication. Since then, she has developed extensive experience as a journalist, most notably as the News and Entertainment Host on Channel 9’s The Today Show. Brooke will study a Master of Public Policy at the University of Oxford with plans to later work within Reconciliation Australia and other government adjacent bodies, where media and mass communication meets policy and agenda setting.
• Tiwi/Iwaidja, Kaytej/Warlpiri woman and Charlie Perkins Scholar, Hmalan Hunter-Xenie. Hmalan has a Bachelor of Science with Honours from Australian National University. She is passionate about positively influencing policy and programs relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly in relation to water and land rights. Recently, Hmalan was awarded both the Scholar of the Year and Caring for Country at the 2024 NAIDOC Darwin Awards. She will go on to study a Master of Public Policy at the University of Oxford later this year.

For more information about Aurora’s international scholarships, visit: aurorafoundation.com.au/our-work/study-tours-and-scholarships/scholarships/international-scholarships/

ENDS
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Tyla Lane
Tyla@suada.com.au
0411 966 588

About Aurora
The Aurora Education Foundation is an Indigenous organisation that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to realise their full education and employment potential – whether it is completing Year 12 or achieving a DPhil from Oxford. Through interconnected pathways, we walk with students from high school through to university and the workplace, redefining Indigenous educational and employment success.

About the Charlie Perkins Scholarship
The Charlie Perkins Scholarship provides an opportunity for at least two Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students each year, to undertake postgraduate study at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge. The scholarship is a tribute to the first Aboriginal man to graduate from university, and civil rights activist, Charlie Perkins. It covers up to three years full-time university study, travel costs and an annual stipend to cover living expenses. Charlie Perkins Scholars are Indigenous students who demonstrate leadership in their field of study and in their communities.

About the Roberta Sykes Scholarships
The Roberta Sykes Scholarship provides funding to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students who wish to undertake studies at recognised overseas universities. The value of the Scholarship varies depending on course requirements. Roberta Sykes was an author and a lifelong campaigner for Indigenous rights, students who receive this scholarship reflect the strong community values Roberta embodied and use their studies to contribute to Indigenous communities.