Profile:

I am a Nyoongar woman from Armadale in Western Australia and after starting a Bachelor Degree of Science, Midwifery in 2011 as a mature age student, wife and mother of 6 boys, I graduated in 2015 and commenced work at Armadale Hospital as a Registered Midwife. I am currently in my second year as a RM and after moving to South Australia for family reasons, am hoping to start work very soon.

I am attending the International Congress of Midwives Conference in Toronto, Canada this year in June and will be meeting and learning with many Indigenous and non-Indigenous Midwives from around the world. I hope to also attend an Indigenous Midwife Retreat and gain important knowledge of how Aboriginal Midwives in Canada have established birthing units that allow Aboriginal women to birth on country with the support of midwives who are themselves, Aboriginal. This experience will be life-changing!

How will the scholarship assist?

With many thanks to the Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Fund and the scholarship (Category B) that I was fortunate enough to be awarded, I will be able to cover many of the costs associated with international travel such as obtaining a passport, travel insurance and as I also want to document as much of my journey through video and photos, will be able to purchase equipment to help me do that. Thank you so very much.

Profile:

I am an Aboriginal woman and descend from the Dharawal and Gumbangirr people. I am married and have two beautiful children. I work full time as a midwife within the Aboriginal community in the Shoalhaven area and am studying a Master of Primary Maternity Care at Griffith University.

I am an active member of the Australian College of Midwives on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander committee.

How will the scholarship assist?

I am applying for the scholarship to attend the CATSINaM conference in October 2017 in Queensland. It will provide me with an opportunity to liaise and network with Aboriginal health practitioners and clinicians and discuss the issues that our communities are dealing with today and what we are doing as a service to prevent and manage these issues.

Profile:

Tilgigin / Wonnaruu woman, Aboriginal Liaison Midwife at Tweed Hospital.

How will the scholarship assist?

This scholarship will assist me to attend the ICM in Toronto, Canada.

Profile:

My name is Taneeka Hyatt. I am a proud Gumbaynggirr & South Sea Islander woman who grew up in Tweed Heads, NSW. I am currently a second year midwifery student at Southern Cross University on the Gold Coast. I am also currently working at The Tweed Hospital as an assistant in midwifery.

How will the scholarship assist?

This Rhodanthe Lipsett Scholarship will assist me with my studies by allowing me to purchase textbooks and requirements for placement and clinical learning experiences to expand my practice and knowledge. This scholarship will also help me with living expenses, which will eliminate the financial stress that most students experience. I also hope this scholarship to fund my attendance at the 2017 CATSINaM Indigenous Health Workforce & Lowitja Institute Indigenous Health & Wellbeing Conference on the Gold Coast. This conference will increase my depth of knowledge on Indigenous health and how to work with Indigenous women in culturally safe environment.

Profile:

My name is Renae Coleman. I am in my final year of the Bachelor of Midwifery course at Western Sydney University and I am looking forward to becoming a Registered Midwife at the end of the year. I enjoy working with adolescent and Aboriginal women in the outreach clinic, as well as exploring different models of Midwifery care and primary health care services.

How will the scholarship assist?

This wonderful scholarship will help me finish my studies by helping with childcare costs and helping with costs to attend the ACM conference. I will also put some towards my HECS debt, enabling me to enrol in postgraduate studies earlier. Thank you for supporting me through my studies.

Profile:

I am a mother of three and have had a passion for midwifery since the birth of my twins in 2013. I attend Western Sydney University and have a passion for Indigenous women and children’s health, and hope to make a contribution as an Indigenous Midwife to close the gap.

How will the scholarship assist?

This scholarship will assist me to become the best Indigenous midwife I can be, as I will now have the financial means to attend Midwifery conferences through ACM and CATSINaM. This scholarship will also allow me to focus purely on my midwifery practice and my degree as I will not have as much financial stress, and will be able to reduce my days at work.

Thank you!!!

Profile:

Originally hailing from Tasmania, I moved to the big smoke of Sydney after grade 12. After 10 or so years in various jobs and travel I reflected on what I really wanted to be doing and what direction I needed to go next. This lead me to pluck up the courage to apply for the BMid course at UTS and here I am, in my second year and am so happy to have made the change. I look forward to graduating and beyond.

How will the scholarship assist?

 A scholarship would help in many areas including rental relief, general living expenses and help with university fees. There are many costs associated with the Bachelor of Midwifery course. Some of these include numerous text books, the costs associated with gaining compliance for clinical practice like doctors’ appointments, vaccinations and police background checks. There are also uniform expenses and hospital parking. I am currently employed casually but am unsure if I will be able to balance both work and study. During times when I really need to focus on my study, having some other financial assistance will most definitely alleviate some of the pressure and allow me to get the most out of my time at university.

Profile:

I’m currently studying at Griffith University Logan Campus Queensland. I love working with women and seeing the journey they take to becoming a parent. Being with women through this exciting and transforming time is what influenced my choice in studying midwifery. I aspire to be the best midwife I can be for our women to birth in a safe environment free from judgement, discrimination and fear.

How will the scholarship assist?

This scholarship will assist me in purchasing the required textbooks. I need uniforms required for placement with clinical environment.

Profile:

My name is Courtney Joseph and I am a proud Mum of 5 kids. I am born and raised in Sydney and I am in my first year of Bachelor of Midwifery at the University of Technology, Sydney.

How will the scholarship assist?

The scholarship will support me financially by helping with text books, travel and placement. It will take off any financial worries I have, so that I can focus on my studies.

Thank you.

Profile:

My name is Courtney James, I am 19 years old and a Wiradjuri woman from Parkes N.S.W. I am the eldest of 6 and now currently studying a Bachelor of Midwifery at the University of Canberra. I have always had a passion for pregnancy, whether it was watching my mother carry all my siblings or that I have always been around pregnant women and their beautiful babies. I have just complete my first semester and have enjoyed every part of my degree; the classes, education, pracs, seeing my follow through women and the assessments. Once I have my degree in midwifery I plan to return to Parkes and work with my local community and my Aboriginal community to improve maternal and infant statistics and improve Aboriginal health outcomes overall.

How will the scholarship assist?

This scholarship will assist me through my midwifery degree as it can help pay for my campus accommodation, textbooks, my midwifery uniform and appropriate equipment. This scholarship will help me significantly and allow my parents to focus on the cost of my other siblings in school and allow me to be independent and use this money wisely on my university degree.

Profile:

My name is Claudia Towers and I am a first-year Bachelor of Midwifery student at the University of Newcastle. I wished to pursue a career in midwifery as I am captivated by the vast changes women endure through the pregnancy period, and how these changes create strong, empowered women.

Being a midwife means I can deliver a beautiful service through meaningful hands-on work, and no two days will ever be the same.

How will the scholarship assist?

With the assistance of the Rhodanthe Lipsett scholarship, I will be financially supported in the fundamental studies I will undertake, and be able to shift focus to ensuring that the goals of the Rhodanthe Lipsett Fund will be achieved by providing flawless midwifery care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their families.

Profile:

My name is Charmaine Lett, I am of Aboriginal descent being from the Noongar tribe in Western Australia. I am currently a 1st year Bachelor of Midwifery Student at Western Sydney University.

How will the scholarship assist?

The Rhodanthe Lipsett scholarship will greatly assist my progress in the Bachelor of Midwifery degree, which I will use on essential text books, travel to and from University and clinical placements, parking, printing, uniforms and other essentials.

Profile:

Hi my name is Charli, I am a proud Wiradjuri/Wailan woman from a little country town in the Central West NSW. I am a proud mother of 2 and have 2 beautiful grandchildren, in my free time l like to spend time with my family and doing activities outdoors like hiking and camping, I also would love to do more travelling and exploring around our beautiful country in the future. I am currently studying Bachelor of Midwifery at Charlies Darwin University.

How will the scholarship assist?

The Scholarship support will give me the ability to undertake work placement without the concern of my financial stress when I need to take leave from my current position. It will also assist in purchasing learning materials such as text books, Uni uniform and assist in covering my costs in travel such as fuel and maintain of my vehicle so that I can support my follow through for woman who might need to travel to a tertiary hospital to birth which is 2 ½ hours away from my residence.

Profile:

My name is April and I am from Kempsey, a small town on the Mid North Coast. I am currently studying my 2nd year of Midwifery at University of Newcastle at Port Macquarie Campus.

How will the scholarship assist?

I am so grateful to be a chosen recipient of the Rhodanthe Lipsett scholarship as it will assist me to purchase textbooks, uniforms for placement, assist in travel cost to attend university and to be able to access library resources along with assisting with living expenses and access internet at home. I’d like thank the Board of Trustees of the Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Fund for giving me the support and assistance to continue my study towards becoming a registered Midwife.