In a world where education is the key to unlocking doors, scholarships play a pivotal role. Since 1962, Daramalan College has been providing financial assistance to eligible families whose situation would exclude them from giving their child an MSC (Missionaries of the Sacred Heart) education. 

The Daramalan College scholarship fund was established in 2013 and aims to offer scholarships to several students each year with the long term goal of supporting scholarship recipients through a self-sustaining fund.  

By removing financial burdens, the scholarship allows students to focus on learning, research and personal growth. The Scholarship Fund encourages diversity and brings together students from various backgrounds, cultures and experiences. Scholarships are an investment in the future. When we support students today, we shape the leaders and change-makers of tomorrow. 

Please read the story of Dalena Tran (2013), one of the past Scholarship Fund recipients, and Daramalan College’s support in her life.  

Did you face any challenges or obstacles while pursuing your education, and if so, how did the scholarship support you through them? 

The main challenge would have been financial, as once my younger sister also began her education at Daramalan, my parents had to pay school fees for both of us. We attended Daramalan because we had other family who had attended there, and it was a Catholic school. Daramalan is also a private school, and hence, its school fees are not government-funded/assisted - proving challenging to my parents. The Daramalan Scholarship supported my parents through that hardship – leaving them less concerned about meeting school fees and allowing me to focus on my studies rather than having to work extra to help financially.  

This eventually led me to be granted another scholarship for ANU Secondary College studies. I graduated successfully from Daramalan and entered ANU. I now work as a consultant for Deloitte Australia, and I still have extremely close ties with my friends whom I made at Daramalan over the years. 

Why do you think it is essential to continue the Scholarship Fund program? 

The Scholarship Fund really helps those families who wish to provide their children with a good education but may be financially struggling. Not only does it help take a load off the parents/guardians’ shoulders, but it also indirectly helps the students themselves. Students will always worry when their family is having trouble, so having a fund that assists with overcoming that allows them to refocus on their education, learning and future. 

What advice would you give to other students applying for scholarships? 

This may sound a little cheesy, but I do believe in this generic saying: You have to be in it to win it. It’s not about winning and losing—it’s more about the fact that if you don’t even give yourself a chance at something, then there’s no chance of you obtaining it at all. If you want something, you need to put in the effort and give yourself a fighting chance to get it. Don’t expect yourself to get lucky.