Thelma Myers Memorial Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nursing & Midwifery Scholarship

The Thelma Myers Memorial Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander Nursing Scholarship shall be open to competition among candidates who:

• Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in descent; and
• Are a registered nurse or registered midwife; and
• Have been accepted for postgraduate studies or a higher degree in research within the College of Healthcare Sciences in the discipline of Nursing and Midwifery at James Cook University.

If you are a successful applicant of this scholarship you will receive $8,000 per year ($4,000 for part-time study) for the duration of your degree paid in 2 equal instalments after census date of study period 1 and study period 2. Please allow up to 6 weeks after census date for payment.

Prior to completing an application, you should carefully read the Scholarship Rules below. Applicants wanting to apply for this scholarship must attach the following documents:

• Academic Transcript;
• Curriculum vitae;
• Written personal statement outlining:

1. demonstrated evidence of leadership ability, in particular, how further education will assist the applicant to advance the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,
2. how this scholarship will provide support to applicant as an individual, and
3. applicants connection to North and Far North Queensland (live, from, work, research, etc.).

Applications submitted without the relevant documentation will not be considered.

Applications will be short listed and short listed applicants will be contacted for an interview. Applicants must be willing and able to have an interview after being short listed, via phone or video conferencing (Zoom).

Your application is checked for completeness and eligibility, and you will receive an email confirmation it has been received. After the closing date, it will be individually assessed and put forward to a selection committee who will rank your application against others who have applied.

Introduction

Established in 2003 by Carolyn Dixon, a psychiatric mental-health nurse, in memory of her mother Thelma Myers. The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage and facilitate Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives to continue their studies at a postgraduate level. The donor hopes the scholarship will be seen as part of a reconciliation process, through the further education of the individual student and their care to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community

Value and Payment of the Scholarship

If you are a successful applicant of this scholarship you will receive $8,000 per year ($4,000 for part-time study) for the duration of your degree paid in 2 equal instalments after census date of study period 1 and study period 2. Please allow up to 6 weeks after census date for payment.

Eligibility criteria

The Thelma Myers Memorial Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nursing Scholarship shall be open to competition among candidates who:

• Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in descent; and
• Are a registered nurse or registered midwife; and
• Have been accepted for postgraduate studies or a higher degree in research within the College of Healthcare Sciences in the discipline of Nursing and Midwifery at James Cook University.

Selection Criteria

The Selection Committee will, in the exercise of their absolute discretion, afford consideration to the following criteria:

• Connection to North and Far North Queensland;
• Academic merit or potential; and
• Character of the applicant.

Where possible, preference will be given to advanced practice candidates and in particular any in the mental health nursing field.

Application Procedures

Prior to completing an application, you should carefully read the Scholarship Rules below. Applicants wanting to apply for this scholarship must attach the following documents:

• Academic Transcript;
• Curriculum vitae;
• Written personal statement outlining:

1. demonstrated evidence of leadership ability, in particular, how further education will assist the applicant to advance the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,
2. how this scholarship will provide support to applicant as an individual, and
3. applicants connection to North and Far North Queensland (live, from, work, research, etc.).

Applications submitted without the relevant documentation will not be considered.

Applications will be short listed and short listed applicants will be contacted for an interview. Applicants must be willing and able to have an interview after being short listed, via phone or video conferencing (Zoom).

Selection Process

The award of the scholarship shall be made in the absolute discretion of the Selection Committee, which shall comprise:

• Head of Nursing (Chair)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Representative from either Nursing or Centre for Indigenous Education and Research; and
• Donor, Ms Carolyn Dixon.

The Selection Committee reserves the right:

• Not to award a scholarship in any year if, in the opinion of the Selection Committee, there is no candidate of sufficient merit to warrant an award;
• To award a scholarship for period of one or more years; and
• To extend a scholarship for an existing recipient.

The Selection Committee may require applicants to undertake an interview as part of their application.

The Selection Committee will determine all matters relating to the selection process.

Ongoing Eligibility

The recipient of the scholarship shall continue to receive the award on condition that they maintain a GPA of 4.0 or above and remain actively enrolled (progressing through degree).

Where it is determined that the level of academic performance is unsatisfactory the Selection Committee may in its absolute discretion cancel the award or suspend the award for such time as it may determine and/or until academic performance is considered satisfactory.

Conditions of the Scholarship

At the end of the academic year, a written report must be submitted to the scholarships office, the template will be sent to you.

If the recipient defers their study, the recipient will no longer be eligible for the award. Where an award is terminated under this clause it may be awarded to another suitable applicant.

In the event that the recipient suspends their study, the scholarship shall be suspended.

The requirements of the scholarship shall not make the awarding of the scholarship conditional upon the recipient providing unremunerated services or products to the donor.

Where an award provides some benefit to the recipient from a body external to the University, or an obligation upon a body external to the University, the University, its servants and agents, shall not be liable for that benefit or obligation.

If the recipient fails to comply with any of the conditions of this scholarship, the Chair of the Selection Committee may suspend or terminate the scholarship, or take such action as it deems necessary to enforce compliance with the condition by the recipient.

A student may lodge a request for review of the decision in accordance with the provisions of the Student Complaint Management Policy and Procedures.

Administration of the Scholarship

The scholarship shall be administered by the Scholarships Office on behalf of the Selection Committee.

The funds of the scholarship shall be held in an account in the name of the University and shall be administered by the officer of the University charged with administering the scholarship.

Where there is a fund maintaining the award, the annual value of the award shall be approximately equal to the annual income from the fund.

The amount available in the fund shall be determined each year by the Financial & Business Services Office prior to advertising the award. The capital of the fund may be used to fund the Scholarship. Such amount to be stated in any advertising.

Income from a fund not expended on the award which it maintains, shall be added to and become part of the fund.

Money payable in any year to the holder of a scholarship shall be paid quarterly at such times and in such amounts as advised by the Selection Committee appropriate to the circumstance of each case (as per Clause 11).

In the absence of awarding the scholarship in a year, the funds will be decided for use at the discretion of the Selection Committee to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses or midwives to participate in professional development (PD) activity.

Please refer to Glossary of Terms