Dream big and seize opportunities

Scholarships like the Vice-Chancellor’s Fund at Macquarie University can make a huge difference by removing barriers to tertiary education for people who are disadvantaged.

Business School student cohort standing in courtyard.

Former refugee earns scholarship

Originally from Tibet, Lobsang Ngodup fled the country with her parents in 1993. They were facing terrifying persecution under Chinese rule as her mother, a nun, was being intimidated and under constant surveillance due to her religion, and her father, a nomad, found the lack of racial rights for Tibetans (including oppression of language, traditions and religion) devastating to their way of life.

When opportunity arose, Lobsang and her family fled to India, finally arriving in Australia as a refugee when she was eight years old. Despite this difficult start, and English being her second language, Lobsang beat the odds and shone at school. However, with ongoing family duties, including looking after her two sisters and needing to work to support ill parents, university studies seemed an unrealistic prospect.

In what seemed her only chance to further her studies, Lobsang successfully applied for the Vice-Chancellor’s Fund scholarship. She says earning a donor-funded scholarship and being able to study business at Macquarie University is “like a dream.”

As the first in her family to attend university, Lobsang now hopes to be a role model, inspiring her little sisters and ultimately the Tibetan community in Australia to dream big about what they might achieve. “I am very thankful. It has made a big impact on my life and has made such a difference to me and my family. I thank Macquarie University from the bottom of my heart.”