Heads above water WHEN THE DOWNTURN THRE ATENED STUDENTS’ WELFARE, OUR COMMUNIT Y STEPPED UP In an incredible show of support from donors, staff and alumni, more than $200,000 was raised to assist University of Tasmania students suffering hardship caused by COVID-19.
The Appeal, which launched in May 2020, formed a key part of the University’s response to ensuring students were safe, well, and supported. Alumni also gave generously, demonstrating to the future generation of graduates what a compassionate community they will soon be welcomed into.
This followed Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black and the University’s Executive Team making significant personal contributions of their own.
Stephen, a University employee who donated anonymously to the Appeal, said he felt compelled to give after hearing about the plight of students.
More than 340 generous donors have given to the Student Support Appeal.
“I thought that this was a time when everyone needs to pitch in and help each other out, so our family started to think about what we could do to support others,” he said.
Their generosity helped the University provide more than 4,000 grants to students to support their living and learning expenses. Laura Jewell, a final-year nursing student, was struggling to make ends meet when she contacted the University for help. “I was pretty desperate; unable to work, my family couldn’t support me, and I wasn’t able to afford both food and rent,” Laura said.
“Working at the University meant I was aware that there are some families who have cobbled together whatever money they can to support their children to gain a tertiary education, and COVID impacted many of these support channels. Many students also have to work to support their studies and when that work dried up, they were struggling. There is often a fine line between swimming and sinking.”
Laura received a $350 grocery voucher, which she said provided enough food for one month.
Paige-Raewyn Agius, a Master of Social Work student, lost her job in 2020 and the bills began mounting, putting her at risk of physical, mental, and emotional burnout.
“The money meant that I could afford groceries and keep my head above water,” she said.
Thanks to $400 worth of grocery vouchers, Paige-Raewyn was able to feed herself and stay on top of her finances.
Laura, who studied straight through summer and has started a job as a nurse at the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH), is incredibly grateful for the kindness shown to her during a tumultuous time.
“Being a university student is stressful on a normal day, because of COVID it became something unimaginable,” she said.
“Thank you to everyone who donated,” she said. “I will remember your generosity and hopefully someday I am in a position where I can help someone in a similar state to mine.”
A YE AR IN REVIEW 2020
“Students like me were confined to their rooms worrying how they would get through the next day and couldn’t see a way forward other than scraping through. “We were surviving, but I wouldn’t say we were living.”
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