What scholarships make possible for the next generation at UQ.
Some gifts are measured not by what they are worth, but by what they make possible. Their true value often unfolds over time; through the opportunities they create and the futures they help to shape and make possible.
For University of Queensland student Sadaf Manshadi, that difference began during a financially challenging period. As she prepared to move into a new home in Brisbane, the costs of furniture, everyday essentials and replacing a broken laptop added to the financial pressures of university life.
Receiving the Rogers Family Scholarship helped ease these burdens, giving Sadaf more freedom to focus on her education and personal aspirations. Beyond financial relief, the scholarship also offered something equally meaningful: the encouragement of knowing that someone believed in her potential.
“It says to me that someone believes in me. That someone has recognized what I have done so far,” Sadaf said.
“This award means freedom to me; freedom from financial stress and anxiety and freedom to spend more time dedicated to my studies and passions, like community work.”
The freedom to pursue their ambitions
For Jordan Winchester, financial challenges took a different form. Pursuing a career in medicine involved expensive applications and testing, alongside the growing costs of everyday life. These financial pressures created uncertainty around his ability to pursue the future he had worked towards.
Receiving the Dow STEM Scholarship helped ease these concerns and allowed Jordan to continue working towards his career aspirations.
“Without your donation, I don’t believe I would have been able to attend university and work towards my dream career,” Jordan said.
Although their circumstances differ, Sadaf and Jordan's experiences reflect something shared by many scholarship recipients at The University of Queensland's Liveris Academy: financial support can provide the freedom to pursue ambitions that might otherwise feel out of reach.
Beyond easing immediate financial pressures, donor generosity creates opportunities for students to dedicate more time to their education, participate in university life and explore experiences that contribute to their personal and professional development.
For some students, that support also carries forward a family's own experience of the transformative value of education.
The O'Moore Scholarship Endowment was established by UQ alumna Dr Liza O'Moore in honour of her parents, Liam and Elaine, whose encouragement helped her pursue a university education. Through the scholarship, their legacy of support continues to create opportunities for future generations.
For Sienna Thompson, the scholarship's 2021 recipient and the first in her family to attend university, financial assistance provided greater freedom to concentrate on her engineering studies while building meaningful connections with fellow students.
Similarly, Oliver Barr-David, who received the scholarship in 2023 and 2024, valued the opportunity to focus on his academic development without the added pressures of financial uncertainty.
“I could fully immerse myself in learning and studying to the best of my ability,” Oliver said.
For Kyuss Greaves, a 2024 recipient of the Dow STEM Scholarship, the transition to university presented a different set of challenges. Moving away from home meant adjusting to a new environment while managing living expenses and balancing work with academic commitments.
The scholarship helped relieve some of these pressures, giving Kyuss greater freedom to participate in university activities and pursue opportunities for leadership development.
While each student's circumstances are different, these experiences demonstrate how financial assistance can become the foundation for something greater. With fewer immediate pressures to manage, students have more opportunities to focus on their education, build confidence and begin exploring the possibilities ahead.
Creating opportunities for personal and professional growth
The value of a scholarship extends beyond financial relief. For many students, it also creates opportunities to gain practical experience, develop leadership capabilities and discover new interests that influence their future aspirations.
For Rianna Webster, a recipient of the Pekol Family Scholarship for Women in Engineering, these opportunities have been an important part of her journey as an emerging engineer.
Alongside her engineering studies, Rianna served as Vice President of UQ's Mechanical Engineering Student Society and gained valuable industry experience at Boeing. Through these experiences, she developed professional skills, strengthened her connections within the engineering community and gained greater confidence in pursuing her career ambitions.
For other students, the encouragement behind a scholarship can be just as meaningful as the opportunities it provides.
Billy Neale, a 2025 recipient of the Rogers Family Scholarship, valued the personal and professional development opportunities available through the Liveris Academy. Yet the scholarship also represented something more personal: knowing that the Rogers family recognised his achievements and believed in his potential.
That same commitment to supporting future generations inspired John and Gerri Puttick to establish the Puttick Scholarship for Women in IT and Engineering.
Through their generosity, the Puttick family hopes to encourage talented young women to pursue careers in technology and engineering, contributing their knowledge and perspectives to industries that will help shape the future.
Megan Barkman is among the scholarship's recipients, reflecting the family's longstanding commitment to supporting young people's educational aspirations.
Across these experiences, the influence of donor generosity takes different forms. For some students, it provides the opportunity to develop leadership skills or gain experience in their chosen industry. For others, it offers the confidence to pursue new challenges and explore ambitions they may not have previously considered.
Together, these opportunities become part of a broader learning journey, helping students develop not only the skills needed for their future careers, but also a stronger understanding of the contributions they hope to make.
Broadening horizons and inspiring future possibilities
As students develop their confidence and capabilities, new experiences and connections can encourage them to look beyond familiar surroundings and consider the wider possibilities ahead.
At the Liveris Academy, opportunities for international learning, professional development and meaningful connections introduce students to different perspectives that can influence their personal and professional aspirations.
Established in 2019 by Andrew and Paula Liveris, the Liveris Academy Undergraduate Scholarship supports high-achieving students in their academic, personal and leadership development.
For biomedical science student Eleanor Hanna, the experience was “truly life-changing”, while chemical and metallurgical engineering student Samuel Martin reflected on how his involvement in the Academy contributed to his personal growth and leadership development.
These experiences also strengthened Samuel's ambition to contribute to a more sustainable future, demonstrating how opportunities during university can help students identify the challenges they hope to address through their careers.
For other students, gaining new perspectives has meant taking their learning beyond Australia.
In 2026, mathematics and commerce student Chelsea Nichols travelled to Scotland to undertake an exchange at the University of Edinburgh, supported by a Travel Grant.
Studying in a different academic environment gave Chelsea the opportunity to experience another culture, establish international connections and broaden her understanding of the world beyond her university studies.
Yet meaningful connections do not always begin overseas. Sometimes, they develop through meeting people who share similar ambitions while bringing different experiences, ideas and perspectives.
For Arwen Keith, a recipient of the Dalio Philanthropies Scholarship, these opportunities have become an important part of her university experience.
In 2026, Arwen travelled to Canberra alongside fellow Liveris Academy scholars Matilda Grant, Saul Nicol-Rann and Anneliese Whitbread to participate in the Australian Crisis Simulation Summit.
There, they joined students from across Australia to navigate complex national security scenarios, make decisions under pressure and learn from industry leaders.
The experience offered opportunities to strengthen their leadership, critical thinking and decision-making skills while engaging with challenges extending beyond the classroom.
Arwen is among the scholarship's recipients, alongside Chloe Mather, Lauren Hall and Jasper Chong, who have also benefited from opportunities for academic and personal development.
For Shuwenjun (Winnie) Ma, a 2025 recipient of the Saudi Aramco Excellence Scholarship in Engineering, Science, and Maths, being part of a community of motivated students has been especially meaningful.
The scholarship recognised Winnie's academic and extracurricular achievements while connecting her with peers who shared her curiosity and commitment to learning.
As a chemical and metallurgical engineering student, Winnie hopes to contribute to a more sustainable future by making mineral processing more efficient and environmentally responsible.
Across these experiences, donor generosity helps students discover opportunities that extend beyond their immediate academic goals. Whether through international exchanges, professional development or connections with fellow scholars, each experience introduces new ideas and possibilities that can influence the direction of their future journeys.
These opportunities also encourage students to consider how their knowledge, skills and experiences might contribute to something beyond their own achievements.
Extending the gift beyond individual achievement
The impact of donor generosity does not necessarily end with the students who receive support. As scholarship recipients develop their skills and pursue new opportunities, they can also make meaningful contributions to the people and communities around them.
For William Armstrong, receiving the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Scholarship created greater opportunities to participate in university life while contributing to initiatives that supported others.
Alongside joining university clubs and participating in sporting activities, William became involved in running workshops and helping organise a camp for Indigenous high school students.
Through these experiences, William was able to share his time and knowledge with younger students, extending the opportunities made possible through his scholarship into the wider community.
Fellow scholarship recipient Emily Schultz also benefited from reduced financial pressures, which encouraged her to continue pursuing her academic ambitions and developing her leadership capabilities.
Their experiences reflect how donor support can contribute to more than individual achievement. By creating opportunities for students to learn, participate and develop their capabilities, scholarships can also support the contributions they make to others throughout their university journeys.
This commitment to supporting future changemakers also extends to postgraduate research.
Established by Oscar and Peta-Anne Groeneveld, the Groeneveld Scholarship supports higher degrees by research students working across health, engineering and technology.
For its inaugural recipient in 2024, Wendi Ma, a PhD researcher in UQ's School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the scholarship has provided valuable opportunities to connect with people and perspectives beyond her specialised field of research.
The experience reflects the Groenevelds' vision of supporting researchers who develop broader global awareness, strengthen their leadership capabilities and demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable communities.
Other donors are also contributing to the development of future professionals through scholarships supporting students in specialised disciplines.
The Dalara Foundation Excellence Scholarship in Engineering, whose recipients include Liam Heffernan, recognises emerging engineering talent and supports students as they pursue their education and future professional aspirations.
The Liveris Academy's history of donor support also includes the Alumina Industry Scholarship and the Ravago Group Scholarship. Although both programs have concluded, their contributions remain part of the Academy's broader history of supporting students and creating educational opportunities.
Each scholarship reflects a donor's individual commitment to education and the aspirations of future generations. Together, they contribute to a legacy of opportunity that continues through the experiences, achievements and contributions of the students they have supported.
A gift for today, an investment in tomorrow
Every scholarship begins with an act of generosity, but its impact can extend far beyond the moment it is received.
For Sadaf, that generosity meant greater freedom to focus on her studies and passion for community work. For Jordan, it helped make pursuing his dream career possible. For Chelsea, it opened the door to international learning and new perspectives. And for William, it created opportunities to participate more fully in university life while making a positive contribution to others.
Although their journeys are different, each experience reflects how the value of a scholarship continues to unfold through the opportunities students embrace and the ambitions they pursue.
At The University of Queensland's Liveris Academy, donor-supported scholarships provide financial assistance, leadership development, industry engagement and international learning opportunities that help students prepare for their personal and professional futures.
Behind each scholarship is an investment to explore the potential of the next generation and chooses to support the possibilities ahead.
For students, that generosity becomes part of their journey, shaping the experiences they gain, the connections they form and the contributions they aspire to make.
And as these students carry their knowledge, skills and ambitions into their future careers and communities, the value of the meaningful gift has the potential to reach far beyond its first recipient.
What begins as a gift to one student today can help shape a future shared by many tomorrow.
