Why I give

I give to support students for whom getting to university and staying at university are major life struggles. Some of us come to university as a matter of course. We grew up imagining ourselves as university students and followed a familiar pathway already well trodden by older family members. But for others of us, the possibility of enrolling in a university only came to us by chance. We weren't sure how to go about it, how to fund it, how to survive the unknowns of study or how to keep food on the table while we did it. This group of students don't know if they belong at university, and I want to do something that says to them, unambiguously: 'You belong here! This is your place, and this is the best thing you can do for your own future and your family's future.' I still give only a modest amount, but that's why I give... to help them get here and help them stay here until they can graduate. I'm inspired every time I meet the LPF recipients.

We work with these students every day of the week. Students and staff, we are all members of this university community. We live together for considerable chunks of time and as staff, we have a unique vantage point to see their struggles. We, of all people, should understand some of the tough realities of student lives. Learning Potential Fund bursaries and scholarships are only made possible through the generosity of others. How can we ask people outside of our university community to give generously to help support our students, if we don't give ourselves?

When I was on the committee that helped to assess applications for the Learning Potential Fund, I was stunned by the level of hardship experienced by some of our students.

I was also deeply impressed at their commitment to studying, and their firm belief that undertaking study would help them to better support themselves and their families in future.

I would like to think that my donation will help at least one person to achieve their dreams, someone who would otherwise not have been able to.

The University community is the sum of all of its parts, staff and students alike. It is really easy for a staff member, particularly one who is in an area removed from direct student contact, to lose sight of the fact that we are here because of the students. Supporting fundraising is one way in which we can remain connected.

As a counsellor, I get to see and hear very directly about the struggles of low-income students to keep going throughout their courses. They operate on such tight budgets that if one thing goes wrong or if they have an unanticipated expense such as having to change accommodation or a big medical expense, they worry intensely and lose focus in their study. Counsellors see students in this situation every day, every semester.

Often these students have no safety net in the form of supportive families or other sources of income, and feel very insecure.  Every student who has a scholarship seems to feel more secure and definitely encouraged. That is a good enough reason for giving to the Fund, and I know exactly where the money is going, which is a big thing these days.

As a social worker, I am committed to supporting any policies/practices which help people to help themselves! In terms of impact, if I hear a student say that their scholarship has allowed them to prioritise their study, then surely that's the impact we want.

The reason I'm giving to QUT is because I think education is incredibly important. Especially with the increase in cost of tertiary education, I dislike the idea of people with the drive to learn being unable to develop their potential because of monetary reasons.

I'd like to know that someone has been given the opportunity to broaden their lives through education who may not have otherwise been able to have that experience.

The reason I initiated the regular payroll donation is mainly because of the staff donor thank you morning tea that was organised in April - it was good to see what the money was going towards. So I decided to start making regular donations to three of my interest areas.

It's a great way to have a personal connection to a worthy cause. Staff are, in most cases, aware of the struggles some students have to go through in order to achieve their education so it's good to feel like you've made a difference to at least some of the people you deal with on a day-to-day basis.

I see the affects of under-privilege and hardship around me every day at QUT. It concerns and disappoints me. Some things appear to never change. In fact student poverty and hardship appears to be greater now than I remember. I often see students rushing out of class to get to work on time, falling asleep in class because they are exhausted after a late shift, and anxious to pick their kids up from child-care before it closes and they are penalised even more. It isn't fair. Learning isn't meant to be this difficult and it is something that I'd like to change. As with all change, it has to start somewhere. I'd like to be part of it.

I was assisted by a program similar to the QUT Learning Potential Fund when I was a foreign uni student in London. It gave me with more than financial support; it made me feel valued. I am now privileged to be able to give something back, to ensure that students at QUT are valued and have the security and support they need, when they need it.

Like it or not, QUT staff set the standards for our student population. Our attitudes, opinions and actions are seen as exemplars in an educated society. I am very happy to do my bit to ensure that higher education continues to be available and accessible to everyone, irrespective of life's burdens.

I have been very fortunate in my life and the opportunities provided to undertake study at tertiary level.  I had often thought about donating to a program aimed specifically at assisting disadvantaged students. When I found out about the QUT Learning Potential Fund, I thought that this program was exactly what I wanted to contribute to!

Hopefully the students I have assisted with my donation have been able to undertake or complete their studies with one less stress in their life. I hope that the students use this experience to then give something back to the community, financially or otherwise, when gaining employment after completing their course.