To be eligible for the Medal for Contribution to Indigenous Community in 2026, nominees must:
Growth comes from allowing yourself to make mistakes, asking questions and continuing to apply yourself to new opportunities even when they feel daunting.
Mahlia Garay is a proud Ngarigo and Darkinjung woman, and a current research fellow in the Aboriginal Child Protection Advocacy Hub at the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, UTS Sydney. In this role, she actively works to decolonise research, policy, and practice, driven by her commitment to advancing the human rights and wellbeing of Aboriginal children, families, and communities impacted by the settler-colonial child protection system. She works across various community-based research projects and is an active member of the Family is Culture Advocacy Working Group that collaborates with key decision-makers involved in the child protection sector and advocates for system transformation.
Throughout her time at university, Mahlia was extensively involved with the Gadigal Centre Community, co-established the Blak Social Workers Association, and was the Captain of the Indigenous Nationals team in 2022 and 2023. Mahlia is passionate about supporting young people and has worked as a high school mentor for the Aurora Education Foundation since her early university years. Her academic excellence and commitment to leadership have been recognised through numerous prizes and scholarships, including the Dean’s List of Excellence in Academic Performance and the Dr Charles Perkins AO Memorial Prize. Mahlia was also acknowledged for her commitment to community through the Gadigal Nguragaingan Award.
Studying at USYD was a great privilege - one that offered me countless learning opportunities and connected me with remarkable individuals who continue to positively shape my life. Among them, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academics, supervisors and mentors I had the honour of learning from were particularly influential. Their wisdom, leadership, and generosity deeply impacted my approach to learning and encouraged me to engage with the world through a critical and creative lens. Their support played a foundational role in helping me find my own voice and identity as a young woman navigating university and has shaped how I approach my work today. The people I have met along my educational journey at usyd, particularly through the gadigal centre and the school of social work, have been a huge support network for me and continue to inspire me to be courageous in following my own passions.
I am interested in exploring post-graduate opportunities overseas, until then I will continue to work at Jumbunna UTS, advocating for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people and supporting communities through research and other advocacy avenues.
Rebecca Hyland is a proud Kamilaroi-Gomeroi woman who is dedicated to empowering through education. Her career has taken her across remote areas of Australia, working in First Nations Engagement across government, non-government and corporate sectors. The completion of her Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion has helped to prepare her for what will surely be a busy few years ahead.
She is currently the Co-Chair for the GACD Indigenous Populations Working Group, as well as being the Senior Projects Manager for iSISTAQUIT, a national research project. iSISTAQUIT recently received an additional three years of funding to 'scale up' into more services and more communities across Australia. She has also committed to further study, undertaking a master's degree by research.
Michael Mossman’s growing reputation and impact on both academia and the architecture profession is a credit to his advocacy of First Nations concerns in the designed environment. He has delivered successful and award-winning architectural projects during his long-standing appointment with the NSW Government Architect, and in 2020 was appointed Associate Dean Indigenous in the University of Sydney’s School of Architecture.
Dr Gary Fry is an Aboriginal man descended from the Dagoman tribe in the Northern Territory. He completed a PhD study of remote Aboriginal education, the first of its kind in the NT and Australia. Dr Fry won the 2018 Australian Association for Research in Education Betty Watts Indigenous Researcher Award while completing his PhD. Dr Fry’s research contributes to a newly theorised understanding of why and how Indigeneity is the foundation for improving remote Aboriginal children’s systemic education performance in the NT. He is now collaborating with a UK-based professor in an international research partnership.
Dr Bronwyn Bancroft is a passionate advocate for Indigenous voices across a variety of industries and sectors. She is a Director in Arts Law, a Director in Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), and a member of the Commonwealth Bank Indigenous Advisory Council. As a senior artist and proud Bundjalung Woman, Dr Bancroft’s work is held in the collections of major institutions including the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Parliament House Art Collection, State Library of New South Wales, Australian Museum and Artbank.
Sister Alison Bush was a trailblazer who dedicated over 40 years to caring for Aboriginal mothers and their babies at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, a teaching hospital of the University of Sydney. During her career she delivered more than 1000 babies from across New South Wales, becoming one of the state’s longest serving and most influential midwives.
When she began work at RPA in 1969, she was the first Aboriginal midwife at a major maternity hospital in the state. Alison was pivotal in providing a link between the Women’s Health Service and other Aboriginal initiatives and was dedicated to improving the experiences and outcomes of women, in particular Indigenous women during their pregnancies and early years of childcare.
Explore the annual Alumni Awards, featuring six Graduate Medals and six Alumni Awards.