MEET OUR SHINE+ SCHOLARSHIP FINALISTS
Congratulations!
We have been overwhelmed with the response to our first Shine+ Scholar competition and blown away by some of the entries. We had over 2,000 entries in total, so it took slightly longer to read and process all the amazing answers.
We have selected our 12 finalists! Everyone listed here has won a 12 pack of Shine+ Focus Drink to keep them thinking bright whilst chasing their dreams!
One of the people listed below will go on and be crowned our first Shine+ Scholar, win $5,000 in cash AND a case of Shine+ each month for all of 2017! We will be announcing the winner on Christmas Eve.
Thank you to every one who entered and we hope you keep chasing those big goals. Just remember, when your moment comes, will you be ready?
Our finalists:
Ben Lindsay
University of Sydney
Full time Biomedical Engineering student at the University of Sydney, Ben has filed a patent for a medical device he hopes will help the lives of others. Ben has also developed a marketing app called GoRepp that helps start-ups launch and establish a user base. Ben is also training to represent Australia at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in swimming.
Yagana Naseer
Monash University
Ever since she was twelve years old, Yagana has aspired to work as a human rights lawyer at the United Nations. Yagana studies Law at Monash University and has volunteered at both Amnesty International and at the Victorian Model United Nations. Yagana makes daily progress towards her goal by taking extra subjects on International Law and Victims Law and by reading up on the United Nations. She hopes to learn on French to add another UN language under her belt, taking her one step closer to her dream.
Luke Ginn
Queensland University of Technology
Luke is completing a double degree in Chemistry and Computational Mathematics. He has been working with the head of Mathematics at QUT to improve battery technology. Luke received the AMSI scholarship for his mathematical model for MnO2 batteries. Luke has been working closely with a physicist to develop LiFePO4 coin cell batteries, and he plans to complete a one year honours course and create a battery that has double the capacity of current phone batteries.
Alex Tredinnick
University of Queensland
Alex is currently finishing off his Marine Science undergraduate degree at the University of Queensland. He plans to spend time working on Lizard Island and provide important contributions to the existing research on coral morphology. Passionate about the planet, the oceans and preserving the earth, Alex dreams of conducting research on the reef in order to understand the full scale of the socio-economic impacts associated with reef loss.
Jenna Duffy
Victoria University
Jenna was born with cerebral palsy, which has limited her mobility and the opportunities she has been given, but not the strength of her spirit. Jenna's childhood was filled with people who tried to define her ability, however Jenna chooses to define her ability by the scope of her dreams . Currently studying a Bachelor of Professional and Creative Writing, Jenna is passionate about writing and hopes that her stories will reach the hearts of others.
Ceridwen Fitzpatrick
University of Western Australia
Ceridwen hopes to create a fairer funding system for people with disabilities in Western Australia through her work in community advocacy. Ceridwen has completed a Diploma of Community Services Work and is one year away from completing a Bachelor of Anthropology and Social Psychology at the University of Western Australia. Ceridwen has worked in the Disability sector for several years as both a support worker and now a Team Coordinator. Ceridwen has recently started a business to advocate for families in the local community and potentially improve hundreds of lives.
Ana Musson
University of Sydney
From as young as five years old Ana Musson has been involved in community service, even earning a citizenship award from the Order of Australia at fifteen years old for her work with Landcare and Amnesty International. Ana has utilised her Commerce study at the University of Sydney to develop sustainable funding models for charities she is passionate about. Ana has helped begin a startup that tackles issues of housing affordability. Since becoming a finalist for our Shine+ scholarship Ana has also been named one of the Australian Financial Review/GradConnection Top 100 Future Leaders in Australia, and elected as a finalist for the Protiviti Business & Consulting Award.
William Maish
Australian National University
At the age of twelve, William was diagnosed with a brainstem tumor. Over the course of a decade it bled a number of times, leaving William feeling helpless and abandoned. William was then inspired to go to medical school to learn more about his condition and enrolled in 2014. William finally found a surgeon willing to remove his brain tumor. Now his passion is to become a neurosurgeon to help others in the same situation.
Megan Brocklehurst
Charles Sturt University
Megan is currently studying a Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Bachelor of Veterinary Science, and aspires to become a conservation and wildlife veterinarian in South Africa. During her gap year Megan spent three weeks at a wildlife rehabilitation centre in South Africa where she learnt about the conservation of endangered species, which are often poached or poisoned. During her spare time Megan researches African wildlife and current conservation efforts. Megan plans to return to South Africa to treat endangered species and teach volunteers and tourists about each species.
Kiersten Liddy
University of Sydney
Kiersten dreams of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. After her father suffered from a heart attack Kiersten became fascinated with cardiatrics and spent a lot of time researching heart disease and early markers for heart attacks. Kiertsten has just had her PhD accepted, and will sign up to another four years of study. Kiersten hopes to become a cardiac surgeon and make a difference in the lives of heart attack sufferers and their families.
Jamin Dix
Curtin University
Jamin is currently a Psychology student at Curtin University hoping to specialise in counselling in fourth year. As a child Jamin had problems with learning, as well as emotional and behavioural regulation. As a result of professional help and the social and spiritual aspects of youth group, Jamin was able to improve his performance at school and engage with the creative arts. Jamin now volunteers at a youth group. He plans to establish and run his own clinic to help children with similar struggles to his own and give back to the community.
Henry Martin
La Trobe University
Henry is a nursing student at La Trobe University who aspires to become a health professional and open an accessible health clinic in Cambodia. After visiting the country in 2012 Henry was inspired to pursue this path after noticing only one healthcare facility but many ill people needing care. Henry aims to help reduce the devastation that a poor healthcare system inflicts upon a community. He will do this by dedicating his healthcare services to the people of Cambodia.
