When young Kokatha woman Angie Couzner was studying fulltime, making ends meet became a daily struggle.
‘I was catching public transport to uni every day — even though it was only $5 a trip, it really started to add up,’ Angie says. ‘Then I needed an iPad to study properly, but I had no way of affording it.’
Angie’s grandmother Anna Strzelecki encouraged her to apply for the Oz Minerals Education Scholarship (now known as the BHP Carrapateena Scholarship), offered through Kokatha Aboriginal Corporation. Angie applied and became one of the very first recipients.
The scholarship made an immediate difference. Not only did it cover the cost of her daily travel and the iPad she needed, it also paid for most of Angie’s university fees — significantly easing the financial pressure that came with her studies.
Fast forward to today, and Angie has graduated with Honours in her Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine. She’s now working full-time in the microbiology lab at Flinders University, doing work she loves and building a bright future.
‘I feel really lucky that I’ve finished uni without having a giant HECS debt like most of my friends have,’ Angie says. ‘The scholarship made everything easier — I honestly don’t know how I would have done it without that support.’
Now, Angie hopes to inspire other young Kokatha people to take the leap and apply.
‘Just go for it,’ she says. ‘It wasn’t hard to apply, and it’s helped me so much. If you’ve got a goal, this could really help you get there.’
Pictured – Angie Couzner at her recent graduation ceremony.