Mary MacKillop
Foundation
Indigenous Scholarships Program
Driving Social Inclusion in Australia
Our Scholarships Program
The Foundation has a particular emphasis on creating social inclusion as well as
focusing on the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable
people across the nation.
Since 1998 we have partnered with 42 tertiary education institutions to educate
over 150 Indigenous students.
Why drive Indigenous
tertiary education?
The Mary MacKillop Foundation
believes that education is the
key to reducing poverty. By
reducing barriers to entering
tertiary education, we help create
future leaders and Indigenous
self-determination.
Our Vision is to
build a society
that responds to
people in need
We create social
inclusion through
empowerment
and education
How does the Mary MacKillop Foundation help?
The Mary MacKillop Foundation’s Scholarship program for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders has a high graduation success rate with nearly 85%
of our students completing their qualification, compared to less than 50%
across the country (Radloff & Coates, 2010).
Through financial assistance and ongoing mentoring, our students are
supported and nurtured towards graduation.
About the Mary MacKillop Foundation
The Mary MacKillop Foundation provides relief through empowerment
and education to those in need in Australia. We believe education is the
key and we achieve this through our life-changing community grants and
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tertiary scholarships.
The Foundation has funded 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
tertiary graduates and students. Since 1995, the Foundation has also
responded to those most vulnerable to poverty by supporting over 600
life-changing community projects and empowering people who have been
excluded from society.
Inspired by one of Australia’s most remarkable and inspiring women, and
named after Australia’s first and only saint, we support emerging needs
and pioneer action on ignored or undiscovered issues.
Mary MacKillop had strong compassion for anyone in need, regardless of
race, colour or faith. She focused on those most neglected in society with
a strong emphasis on maintaining and building the dignity of others.
As an outstanding example of the ways in which people can live in our
society today, the Foundation follows Mary’s lead and has helped more
than 23,000 people in Australia through social inclusion by offering a
financial hand-up, combined with steps to self-reliance in a dignified and
humane manner. The people who benefit include Indigenous communities,
children and their families, and women.
For further information please email [email protected] or call 02 8912 2720.
mackillopfoundation.org.au
In 2014 the Foundation supported over 60 scholars across Australia to access
tertiary education opportunities – here is one Scholarship recipient’s story.
Narrah, one of the Mary MacKillop Foundation’s Indigenous Scholarship
recipients, is studying Law at the University of Adelaide.
After finishing high school, Narrah went into full time administration work
before having her children. Then
four years ago Narrah decided
she wanted to set an example
When I talk to people about
for her son (age 8) and daughter
my degree they are really
(age 6) by going to university.
happy that there will be more
Law was always Narrah’s ideal
choice as it enables her to
Indigenous lawyers that can
help others, especially her own
relate to them, and help them.
community. Narrah is interested
They are proud of that.
in working as a solicitor and
undertaking policy work once she
has graduated. She applied for
the Mary MacKillop Foundation
scholarship to take away the financial burden of full-time study. Combined
with being a parent, Narrah recognises the importance of studying towards
graduation and the positive impact it will have on others.
“
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We need your help to support more Indigenous graduates
in Australia and create a more connected society.
Thanks to our partners
Scholarship Partners
Donate now at
mackillopfoundation.org.au
Good Shepherd Sisters
Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
Foundation Partners
Gold partners:
For privacy reasons we do not name individual donors to
the Mary MacKillop Foundation, however we are hugely
appreciative of their ongoing support, which enables us
to undertake this work.
Bronze partners:
Our Education Partners
The Mary MacKillop Foundation is proud to work in partnership with tertiary education organisations across the
country to achieve our goal of increasing the number of Indigenous graduates.
NSW Australian Catholic University
Charles Sturt University
Macquarie University
University of Newcastle
Southern Cross University
University of Sydney
University of NSW
University of Western Sydney
University of Technology Sydney
Australian College of Applied
Psychology
University of Wollongong
Qld Australian Catholic University
Central Queensland University
Vic
Griffith University
James Cook University
University of Queensland
Queensland University
of Technology
University of Southern Qld
University of the Sunshine Coast
Open Colleges
University of Ballarat
Deakin University
RMIT University
University of Melbourne
La Trobe University
WA
Curtin University
Murdoch Uni
Notre Dame Broome
Swan Tafe
University of Western Australia
Edith Cowan University
SA Equals International
University of Adelaide
University of South Australia
NT Batchelor Institute of Indigenous
Tertiary Education
Charles Darwin University
ACT Australian Catholic University
Tas University of Tasmania