Olivia Blight, an enthusiastic product development engineer, has been awarded the 2025 Future Leaders MBA Scholarship. Valued at over $70,000, the scholarship supports study of the part-time MBA with a strong focus on developing personal and leadership skills for the real-world.
Olivia has experienced more than most, having been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 9. This early experience fuelled her passion for becoming a medical engineer to improve the quality of life of people living with the chronic illness.
“I strive to be an ambassador for diabetics. With my technical background paired with my understanding of the patient experience, I believe I can bridge the gap between people with diabetes and their technology apprehension,” said Olivia.
Completing the MBA at the University of Sydney Business School will provide me with the platform and acumen to develop the skills needed to navigate the business and management side of my industry. It will provide me the opportunity to lead and create sustainable value for the healthcare sector and its patients.
Olivia Blight
Future Leaders MBA Scholarship recipient
After completing a Bachelor of Medical Engineering (Honours), Olivia commenced her career in an orthopaedic start up, before moving into a design and prototyping team at Rheinmetall Defence Australia, where she was a finalist for the Women in Defence Awards Rising Star Award. Olivia now works at the boutique consultancy for medical device innovation and commercialisation, IDE Group, as Product Development Engineer.
With a growth mindset, Olivia has a commitment to continue her learning and develop cross-industry skills and networks. From her experience in the engineering, defence and medical sectors, she aims to empower female representation and leadership.
Drawing on her background as an engineer and now an MBA candidate, combined with her lived insights in the Australian healthcare system, Olivia is intrinsically driven to make diabetic management accessible and sustainable. She hopes to improve the quality of life for those children who have a similar experience as her own.
“Completing the MBA at the University of Sydney Business School will provide me with the platform and acumen to develop the skills needed to navigate the business and management side of my industry. It will provide me the opportunity to lead and create sustainable value for the healthcare sector and its patients,” said Olivia.
Olivia commenced studies in the part-time MBA in Semester 1, 2025. The Future Leaders MBA Scholarship is awarded on a yearly basis to an exceptional applicant, who successfully completes a statement of motivation, a discussion forum with accompanying reflective essay, and a final interview.