On the 11 February 2023 Woolyungah Indigenous Centre held our WAS Welcome Event for the recipients of the 2023 Woolyungah Accommodation Scholarship (WAS).
The WAS Scholarship assists with the costs of accommodation for regional and remote students in their first year of study and provides opportunities for Indigenous students to study without the financial barriers that relocating to study can provide.
The 16 recipients of this year’s scholarship met each other, Elders and WIC staff. The event started with a smoking ceremony with Uncle Peter Button and Aunty Mae Button who welcomed the students and their families onto country. This signifies the start of a new journey giving students a clear mind and spirit to begin their studies at UOW.
To finish off the event, and before walking the students to their accommodation, we presented a video from our Director Jaymee Beveridge sent ‘live’ from Harvard University. Through this video Jaymee shared her words of wisdom and WIC’s commitment to our students ensuring the families that the staff and community at WIC will be there to support them as they start their journey away from home and for many living off-Country for the first time.