Emmanuel has long had a tradition of fostering academic excellence and, for many years now, a commitment to furthering Indigenous tertiary education, so it was with great pleasure that we welcomed Waverley Stanley, co-founder of Yalari – Educating Indigenous Children, as guest speaker at our 2018 Academic Awards Dinner on Tuesday 17 April. Waverley and his wife, Llew Mullins, founded Yalari, a not-for-profit organisation offering secondary education scholarships to Indigenous children, in 2005 and today it facilitates educational opportunities for young Indigenous people around the country. Waverley spoke to our students about the gift of education, making mistakes and learning from them, and working towards their goals.
“The only time ‘success’ comes before ‘work’ is in the dictionary. This is true in your educational endeavours now and as you embark on chasing your own dreams and your own goals. As educated intelligent young people today, and, in turn, tomorrow’s leaders, I encourage you to make plenty of mistakes. I encourage you to learn from them. Most of all, have the courage to be the change you want to see in our country, to be the change you want to see in the world and, remember, it always starts with yourself. The challenges you face, now and into the future, must be, can be and will be the transferrable skills that will allow you to overcome adversity and to learn from mistakes. Be grateful for the education you receive and, most importantly, pay it forward to others in the future — education is a gift.” Listen to Waverley Stanley’s speech.
Emmanuel College offers up to $500,000 annually in scholarships and bursaries for deserving students. We thank our donors and alumni who contribute to our scholarships program for their support and generosity.
