Ms Douglas Sees Scholarships Through Lens of Her Own Experience

It has been four decades since Margaret Douglas left university and co-founded one of Australia’s most successful family businesses. But the passage of time and the career she has forged have not erased the disappointment she felt walking away from her medical degree. Ms Douglas, the Director of the nationwide Optical Superstore chain, says she struggled when she left home in rural Wangaratta to study in Melbourne.

“I remember the government gave me $32 a week to pay for my accommodation, my food, my books, everything. My family had no funds to support me, although there was plenty of love from them,” she says. “I managed to get through the first three years of the medical degree but in the fourth year we entered the hospitals and I was overwhelmed by what I saw. I had no support mechanisms and unfortunately I dropped out.”

That experience has motivated Ms Douglas to announce new funding for scholarships for Indigenous students at Bond University. The scholarships were announced during NAIDOC Week 2020.

Left to right: Fundraising & Development Manager Laura Harvey; Vice President Engagement Catherine Marks; Vice Chancellor and President Professor Tim Brailsford; Margaret Douglas; Stephanie Melrose; Indigenous Engagement Advisor Narelle Urquhart and Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine Executive Dean Professor Nick Zwar.

“I understand very personally the value of supporting students during their studies and you can do that on so many levels,” she says. “They need support financially, emotionally and academically.”

Ms Douglas says she decided to provide scholarship support for Indigenous students after reading the Arch magazine and hearing a report on ABC Radio National about massacres of Indigenous people during the Australian frontier wars.

“I was thinking, I didn’t know about this. Why wasn’t this talked about when I was at school? It was a cover-up of our early history.”

Ms Douglas then recalled her daughter Stephanie Melrose (Class of 2012), a Bond alumna, had forged friendships with Indigenous students while studying at the University.

“I thought, I’ll see what Bond is doing to support its Indigenous students and the more I discovered about the program, the more I felt comfortable in getting involved.”

Ms Melrose graduated with a Bachelor of International Hotel and Resort Management and a Bachelor of Business in 2016 and is now Marketing Manager at the Optical Superstore which has 63 outlets across Australia.

“I had some close friends who were supported by the Nyombil Centre and it opened my eyes to seeing what Indigenous people have gone through to get here (on campus),” Ms Melrose says. “It’s nice to know that people who may not be as fortunate as me are going to be able to have those same opportunities at Bond. It’s very important to be closing the gap and this is a great opportunity to do that.”

Ms Douglas intends to meet the recipients of the scholarships when they are awarded.

Students in Medical Labs

“I hope they will use their degrees to help fellow Indigenous people but life has many changes in direction and they shouldn’t feel restricted to that,” she says. “I want them to know that we are backing them and recognise their contribution.”

The scholarships are up to 100 percent for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students commencing in the 2021 Medical Program. They also cover accommodation and a living bursary for the first semester of studies to assist with the transition of the students to the Gold Coast. The scholars will graduate as medical doctors in four years and eight months with Bond’s intensive learning program. Vice Chancellor and President Professor Tim Brailsford told Ms Douglas the students would be supported throughout their degree by the University’s Nyombil Centre for Indigenous students.

“Education is truly the key to unlocking opportunities for our young Indigenous people and Bond University is proud to play its small but important role in developing the skills, knowledge and confidence of the next generation of leaders,” Professor Brailsford says. He thanked Ms Douglas for her gift and trust in the University.

“Thank you so much on behalf of the future students who will benefit in so many ways from your generosity.”

Ms Douglas says she hopes her actions will motivate other benefactors to support the education of Indigenous students.

Pictured left to right: Stephanie Melrose, Margaret Douglas and Vice Chancellor and President Professor Tim Brailsford at the signing ceremony to commence new Indigenous scholarships.

If you would like to support the Bond Indigenous Program, please contact: development@bond.edu.au.