Labour leader Chris Hipkins addresses his MPs at the party's annual caucus retreat, held this year in Palmerston North. Video/Mark Mitchell
Hawke’s Bay student Lucy Smith hopes a $135,000 scholarship she has been awarded to study in Sydney for three years will be encouragement to others to “aim high” as they hit the road to further education.
After graduating from Hastings Christian School, she crosses the Tasman next month to pursuea Biomedical Engineering (Honours) and Medical Science degree at the University of Sydney’s St Andrew’s College, where she will turn 18 soon after settling in.
“Aim high and be bold as you never know what’s possible if you don’t give things a go,” the Havelock North teen says.
“Set ambitious goals that align with your values and the person you aspire to become. Focus on consistency and character with these goals. Embrace challenges as opportunities to step out of your comfort zone, and always remain grounded in humility and resilience.”
It can be applied to a range of pursuits, even close to the heart of a teenager with a medal-winning rowing background, who had to decide last year whether to shed her Olympic Games dream to pursue her academics.
Lucy Smith, in the uniform of Hastings Christian School, to which she bids farewell, heading to university in Sydney. Photo / Supplied
“I was more passionate about academics,” she said.
The scholarship is based on the Year 12 Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 99.45 – just short of the highest-possible assessment of 99.95, and according to St Peter’s principal Dr Daniel Tyler is awarded to just three students each year. It provides fee coverage over three years, including living expenses, food, academic support and extracurricular costs.
Driven by a passion for medicine and problem-solving, aspiring to become a biomedical engineer specialising in humanitarian engineering, Lucy is motivated to serve others and create innovative healthcare solutions that improve lives, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Another nudge came from some knowledge of a family history in medicine, albeit generations back to great-great grandparents Ethel Jackson and Daniel Coto, explored in a recent book written by her grandmother.
Daniel Coto (born to a Chinese father and Scottish mother, both new settlers in Australia) trained at Edinburgh University. Ethel worked for Dr Coto in Rāwene, on the Hokianga in the Far North, in 1907, and they married and moved to Australia.
Smith’s father, Marcus, who works in software, said the prospect of their daughter realising the dream of studying at St Andrew’s was daunting.
He and wife Anna, a Christian School special needs pupils teacher, contemplated the potential cost in the wake of remedial and prevention work needed after part of their property “dropped away” into the Mangarau Stream in Cyclone Gabrielle.
“Academically, this scholarship is life-changing,” Lucy said. “It allows me to study in a world-class environment without adding to my family’s financial burden, and it represents years of sacrifice and shared support in my family.”
“Personally, it means so much that St Andrew’s selected me as a recipient, showing their belief in my potential to bring value to society,” she said.
Ultimately she aspires to use the experience and skills to give back by addressing inequalities in healthcare, particularly in underdeveloped communities, and to make a lasting impact on the lives of others.
She said the future opportunities were greater in Australia, but she would like to bring her expertise back to New Zealand.
Dr Tyler said Lucy “embodies the qualities we seek in our scholars – academic excellence, engagement in various aspects of life, and the potential to positively influence our college and community.
The programme is designed to nurture future leaders, and he said Smith was a “shining example of the exceptional talent we aim to support”.
St Andrew’s has been a residential college since 1867 and is home to more than 380 male and female undergraduates, postgraduates and resident fellows and offers up to $2.2 million in scholarships and bursaries annually.
