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Maeve: From uncertainty to self-belief and supporting other students
Maeve was unsure about moving away from home and friends to go to university. With a scholarship, support programs and teachers who back her success, she’s found a place where she can thrive.
Maeve grew up in the NSW Southern Highlands where her parents run their own cleaning business. She hadn’t thought about going to university until her teacher suggested that she might like to pursue Extension English.
“I tried hard at school, but struggled with health issues, and university had never really entered my brain. So that was a pivotal moment for me, to think ‘Oh, I can challenge myself and find my passion here – and that led me to really take my studies seriously.
“I'm the first in my family to go to uni and it was a tricky process, particularly deciding to live away from home. But at the University of Sydney there were lots of scholarships and pathways for regional students. And the University’s rankings are so impressive. I was also drawn by the fact that I could study my passion, Art History, as a major.
Maeve was surprised and excited when her application for a scholarship and entry into a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws was successful.
“The scholarship was a massive help. I could move to Sydney to live with my grandmother, and can afford to pay board, food and transport, and buy a laptop for university.”
She also couldn’t believe that she was accepted into the Dalyell Scholars stream which offers enrichment activities for high achievers, including accelerated learning options, distinctive Dalyell units of study, mentoring and professional skills development.
However, she was nervous about whether she would fit in, and initially found it hard to navigate university. “I dropped to part time because I was having a really challenging time with my mental health” she says.
Then Maeve applied to various support programs, including the Student Partner program in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences which connects students with fellow students who can offer support. She also became a Student Partner for the Equity and Inclusion Program (EQUIP) and a student representative on the School of Art, Communication and English Education Committee to help support other students.
“So now I have all this support and it’s crazy how much that has changed things for me in a year, and how different my experiences have been,” Maeve says. “I’ve even received the 2024 Student Partner of the Year award – and been awarded the Kathleen Garnham Laurence Prize for Fine Arts, given to the most proficient first-year Art History student. My parents are coming to the award ceremony, and they are both very proud!”
“The teachers have also been so warm and welcoming. They truly want every person to succeed in their courses and they want you to do well. And I just love that ethos,” Maeve says. “My Art History teacher was like, ‘I believe in you. You can do this.’ I felt that I was seen here. It felt like the moment back in high school when that teacher believed in me.”
Maeve has also had the opportunity to take up her dream internship at Vogue Australia for six months. She’s also launched her own youth-based culture print and digital platform to highlight the work of emerging creatives.
Next on the horizon, she’s been accepted on an exchange to New York University. Scholarships will help her to get there, including the Vice-Chancellor Global Mobility Award, the Dalyell Global Mobility Scholarship, and the Kathleen M. Karnaghan and Frederick E. English Equity Scholarship.
“So that's incredible, and I’m still in shock about that and honestly, it’s like my wildest dream coming true.
“You find your crowd, your people and your purpose here. And once I found that, the hesitancy and doubt left. I really could not imagine having gone anywhere else.”
