Staff who contribute receive a Golden Lanyard in acknowledgement of their support. Participation in the program sends a powerful message to students that La Trobe cares and are committed to providing life-changing opportunities for students.
The Staff Giving Program, established in 2013, has raised more than $240,000 to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. La Trobe staff are some of the most generous and committed in the country.
This year the staff at the Mildura campus donated $9000 of their salaries to award three $3000 scholarships to students studying in Mildura. Staff in Mildura are on track to raise $12,000 for 2018 allowing them to award an extra scholarship, equalling four in total for 2018.
The Mildura Campus is made up of close to 50 staff and has over 500 students studying. This means the Mildura staff make up an impressive 23 per cent of payroll donors at La Trobe University – when they make up less than two per cent of the University’s overall staff.
Dr Deb Neal, Head of Campus at Mildura, attributes this generosity to the fact that so many of the Mildura staff see first-hand what a difference a scholarship can make in a student’s life. “Our campus is made up of 85 per cent students who are from a low SES background, so quite often a scholarship is incredibly life changing for its recipient and relieves a lot of stress,” she said.
“Our statistics show that 82 per cent of our graduates gain work in the Mildura area after completing their studies, allowing our staff the opportunity to constantly witness what a difference their gift makes, not only to the person, but the further impact that has in our community.
“I am incredibly proud of our staff who have so strongly demonstrated their commitment and generosity to our students.”
Applications for La Trobe Mildura 2018 Scholarships are open now, with over $60,000 worth of scholarships and bursaries available to students on the Mildura Campus. Visit latrobe.edu.au/scholarships to get your application in for 2018.
