Inaugural Queensland Government John Monash Scholarship awarded

Minister for Education, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing The Honourable Grace Grace
  • University of Queensland graduate Famin Ahmed recipient of the inaugural Queensland Government John Monash Scholarship.
  • Scholarship seeks to encourage academic excellence and leadership qualities.
  • Palaszczuk Government commits to ongoing support of scholarship program.

See here for a photo of Famin Ahmed.

University of Queensland graduate and former Kenmore State High School student Famin Ahmed has been awarded the inaugural Queensland Government John Monash Scholarship.

The scholarship, which seeks to encourage academic excellence and leadership qualities in young Australians, will see Famin travel to the University of Oxford in England for post-graduate studies.

At Oxford, Famin plans to undertake a Master of Public Policy and seeks to improve the way the Australian legal and policy system deals with culturally diverse women experiencing domestic violence.

By day a pro bono lawyer, Famin provides assistance to society’s most vulnerable, including women experiencing domestic violence.

By night, she sews hats to raise money for Women’s Legal Service Queensland.

While 32 Queenslanders have previously received Australian Government or philanthropist sponsored General Sir John Monash Scholarships, this is the first scholarship funded by the Queensland Government.

Criteria to be successful in the scholarship includes having attended a Queensland state school; being first in the family to attend University; living or being brought up in regional Queensland; being from a low-socioeconomic background; being Indigenous; or coming from a minority ethnic background.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Education Grace Grace:

“I am so pleased to announce Famin Ahmed has won our first sponsored Queensland Government John Monash Scholarship.

“Famin won the scholarship to further her studies and build on the important contribution she is already making to disadvantaged communities in Queensland.

“The Palaszczuk Government was very happy to support this new and ongoing scholarship program and I look forward to more Queenslanders like Famin receiving it in the future.”

Quotes attributable to the Chairman of the General Sir John Monash Foundation Jillian Segal AO:

“We congratulate the Queensland Government and its Department of Education on supporting, in perpetuity, graduates from the State’s universities.

“We congratulate Famin ­– these are exciting times for Queensland and we are delighted to have the State Government as a partner.”

Quotes attributable to the Scholarship recipient Ms Famin Ahmed:

“At the end of my career, I want to be remembered for the social change I created to help people suffering disadvantage, and the number of others I inspired to do the same.

“I’m very proud, honoured and thankful to be the recipient of the first Queensland Government John Monash Scholarship.”

/Public Release. View in full here.