TJ's story
First year education and arts student TJ Pham's life changed when he received the 2021 Maybanke Anderson Award for indigenous students in Education. With personal circumstances, a global pandemic and a new educational journey, the scholarship gave him the freedom to pursue his dreams.
This scholarship honestly changed my life.
My name is TJ Pham and I am a Wiradjuri man. 2021 was my first year in my Bachelor of Education (secondary) and Bachelor of Arts (French and Italian) degree at Macquarie University. With personal circumstances, a global pandemic and a new educational journey, I found this particular transition extremely difficult - trying to stay afloat. I was awarded the Maybanke Anderson Scholarship that same year. This scholarship honestly changed my life. I was able to afford a computer and buy textbooks that were needed for my course. Maybanke Anderson is an inspiration to me as her life circumstances and what she stood for aligned with my own values and beliefs. I hope to continue her activism and passion for education through my own journey as a language teacher. To tell the future generation that marks are important but being themselves is even greater. With this scholarship, I was able to do just that without the additional financial stresses that tertiary education brings to young indigenous people. I strongly thank the donors of this amazing scholarship because without it, I surely would not be excelling in my studies as I am right now. I owe it to this scholarship.
The Maybanke Anderson Fund is managed by the Sydney Community Foundation, and has been generously supporting students at Macquarie University since 2012.
Read more about past scholarship recipients and the impact of the Maybanke Anderson Fund.