Students and their dream degrees GWS uni students stand out

THREE Western Sydney students have started degrees at the University of Sydney thanks to the new highly sought after MySydney scholarships.

The students are:

• Mia Nikolic, 17, from Mt Pritchard who is studying a Bachelor of Pharmacy with Master of Pharmacy practice.

• Earl Jamsek, 18 years, from Riverstone who is studying a Bachelor of Pharmacy.

• Mohammad Reha, 30, from Auburn who came to Australia on a humanitarian visa and is studying a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Philosophy.

The University of Sydney has hosted its biggest-ever Welcome Program as students, including the Western trio, began to arrive on campus for the start of the academic year.

Held over nearly three weeks in February, the extended Welcome Program includes orientation events to help new students get started, workshops for continuing students as they transition into their next year, information sessions and fun social events for all students.

Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott said it was a milestone moment for the University with the vast majority of students to be on campus for Semester One.

“Three years after the pandemic first hit our community, we’re giving students our biggest and best welcome to campus life – whether they’re returning or coming to campus for the first time,” Professor Scott said.

“This is a lively time in the University calendar when students can make new friends and reconnect with old ones, work out what their areas of interest are and find their kindred spirits.

“We want our students’ lives to be changed by their positive experiences here at Sydney – not just by what they study, but through the people they meet and the connections they make.

“We have an incredible line-up to give our students a taste of how exciting uni life can be, as well as online orientation events for those who unfortunately can’t make it in person.”

MySydney students

The University also hosted a special welcome for the first cohort of students beginning their degrees through the MySydney Entry and Scholarship scheme.

An immediate commitment of the University’s new 10-year strategy announced last year, the new scheme is designed to give more students the opportunity to study at Sydney by offering financial and other support to domestic students from low socio-economic areas.

“We are delighted to have made more than 1200 MySydney offers and are expecting our biggest cohort of students from under-represented areas ever to join us this year. We can’t wait to welcome them into our University community, as they engage with campus life and achieve their immense potential.

“They are part of a historic moment for the University of Sydney. We want to be a place in which all of our students – no matter where they come from – truly thrive.” University of Sydney Union (USU) President and final-year Engineering/ Science student Cole Scott-Curwood expects 2023 to be a watershed year for student experiences.

“The USU is investing $1.2M in new initiatives this year to improve campus life. This includes further support for student wellbeing, clubs and societies, inclusion and accessibility, and reconciliation. We’ll host events on campus to celebrate World Pride and the performing arts while bringing back initiatives we trialed last year, such as the popular Someday Soon music festival and Foodhub free food pantry,” Cole said.