As a child, Emily was fascinated with construction. Now, the engineering graduate is pushing the boundaries of innovation, working on projects such as designing an artificial heart – an opportunity made possible by a scholarship.
Growing up in Wagga Wagga in the Riverina District of NSW, Emily loved building things from sticks, string and tape. Her family enjoyed renovating their home, sparking a keen interest in how things were built.
That early fascination with construction led her to do something extraordinary: design a prototype of a next-generation total artificial heart to replace the current temporary models. She represented UNSW Sydney at the inaugural Heart Hackathon Competition in Dallas, Texas, competing with student groups from around the world to develop one such groundbreaking heart. Emily’s role focused on the mechanical and circulatory aspects.
“I was pinching myself, being part of such an amazing team,” says the 23-year-old, who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)/Master of Biomedical Engineering.
The key to her success, Emily says, was receiving a scholarship. The Graham Painton Rural Engineering Undergraduate Scholarship allowed her to live on campus when she first moved to Sydney – a daunting prospect for a young woman from the country.
“I would not have been able to even consider moving to Sydney, let alone study at UNSW, if I didn’t have the wonderful support that the scholarship provided,” Emily says. “It has quite literally been life-changing for me.”
Graham Painton was a mechanical and industrial engineering student at UNSW in the ’60s. This year marks 20 years since Graham first donated to UNSW, establishing a prize and a scholarship for students in Engineering. Since his passing in 2015, the Graham Painton Foundation has continued his legacy, supporting philanthropic initiatives in Engineering as well as Medicine & Health.
The scholarship Emily received from the Graham Painton Foundation freed her from having to hold down multiple part-time jobs.
“It gave me precious time to focus on my studies,” she says. Emily ended up doing a double degree, allowing her to pursue areas that fascinated her, such as tissue engineering (making artificial human skin).
Emily was also a Women in Engineering student ambassador at UNSW, championing the next generation of innovators.
“I loved having the opportunity to inspire other girls to pursue careers in STEM,” she says.
“Opportunities like that would not have been possible without the scholarship. The personal encouragement from the board members of the Graham Painton Foundation, as well as the ongoing financial support, is something I am so grateful for.”
Scholarships are empowering talented students at UNSW to reach their full potential, inspiring them to believe in themselves and their ability to create meaningful change.
Last year, $10.8 million in new philanthropic funding was raised for scholarships at UNSW, and 535 students were supported by donor-funded scholarships.
Scholarships not only foster excellence and leadership but also ensure that higher education is accessible to all, creating lasting benefits for society as a whole.
Lindsay Robinson, Chief Advancement Officer at UNSW Sydney, highlights the ripple effect of scholarships: “When we invest in one student, we uplift families, communities and future generations. That kind of support lays the foundation for lasting change.”
In Australia, young people from the lowest 25 per cent socio-economic bracket are up to twice as likely to be unemployed and not in training or education programs and are 11 per cent less likely to complete Year 12. University scholarships are crucial to bridge this gap.
Since 2022, UNSW has been committed to achieving a Gateway equity target of 25 per cent, meaning that one in four new domestic undergraduate students come from low socio-economic backgrounds or communities under-represented in higher education.
New data reveals that UNSW is close to achieving this goal – and the University’s bold approach to widening access is translating into success in student enrolment, retention rate and performance, proving that with the right support, students from all backgrounds can flourish.
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