Chasing career goals in the face of adversity is a foreign concept for most 20 year olds, but Cassandra Farquharson is doing it in style with the help of a scholarship with Western Sydney University.
University was always on the Mount Riverview resident’s radar to realise her dream of becoming a sustainable tourism specialist but the prospect fell to the wayside after unexpected personal circumstances forced her to withdraw from her studies in 2015.
A few years on, Cassandra is one step closer to achieving her career goals after receiving a Western Sydney University scholarship funded by Scenic World’s philanthropic program, Scenic World Shared.
The inaugural Scenic World Scholarship in Natural Science and Tourism Management will support Cassandra for the duration of her degree, providing $7500 of funding for each year of her studies, valued at up to $22,500.
It’s a “dream come true” for Cassandra, who plans to apply her skills close to home as the Blue Mountains tourism industry continues to grow and evolve.
“Tourism is ever-changing in the Mountains and I’m excited to learn more about how we can preserve what we have today for future generations,” Cassandra said, adding that her interest in sustainability came to life during a recent trip where she volunteered in Nepal.
“We are lucky to be surrounded by stunning landscapes, great people and a unique lifestyle, and this scholarship is such a great head start to my learning so I can play an active role in supporting Blue Mountains tourism.”
Scenic World’s managing director Anthea Hammon congratulated Cassandra for her success in receiving the inaugural Scenic World Scholarship Fund which will continue to grow, increasing its support by one student per year until it supports four scholarships.
“Education is a key pillar of the Scenic World Shared program; we recognise that supporting young people today will have a greater impact tomorrow and leave a lasting impact on our community,” she said.
“We’re proud to have the opportunity to support young people like Cassandra who bring so much vitality and enthusiasm to our community and help to pave the way for future generations. We wish her all the best and look forward to hearing more about her tourism studies.”
Applications are now open for the 2019 scholarship program, which assists ambitious Blue Mountains residents from disadvantaged backgrounds to follow their dream of studying a bachelor’s degree in tourism or environmental science.
Western Sydney University’s Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Professor Kevin Dunn, invited Blue Mountains residents with a keen interest in tourism or environmental science to apply.
“The university is proud to partner with Scenic World to create invaluable learning opportunities for motivated students like Cassandra,” said Professor Dunn.
“These scholarships provide financial assistance to students – more importantly they provide direct access to award-winning tourism companies, like Scenic World, where students can work on real-world projects and gain hands-on industry experience.”
For more information on the Scenic World Scholarship in Natural Science and Tourism Management, and to apply, visit https://bit.ly/2I9p2Y1. Applications close on January 31, 2019.
Visit www.scenicworldshared.com.au for details.