Student support adds up
Cameryn travels hours by train each day to study at the University of Sydney.
Cameryn Smider
Cameryn Smider loves mathematics, and particularly calculus. “You’re trying to find the gradient of a tangent, which is the rate of change of the curve at that one point. When you first see it, it feels so abstract. But at the end you have a weird little formula that you can apply to so many things.”
Raised in Lake Munmorah on NSW’s Central Coast, Cameryn displayed an early talent for maths and science, and set her sights on studying at the University of Sydney. “I didn’t think I would get in, because the ATAR for my course was so high,” she explains.
However, Cameryn is one of more than 600 students who have started a degree in 2023 thanks to the MySydney Scholarship Scheme, which supports students from underrepresented groups through funding and community initiatives. The adjusted ATAR requirements meant that Cameryn could enrol in a Bachelor of Science and Master of Mathematical Sciences at the start of this year.
As the first in her family to attend university, the $8500 annual stipend has made taking this step feel less daunting. “Buying textbooks, buying a laptop – it all adds up to thousands of dollars. And no one from my high school came to this university, so it’s been scary. But I’ve met a lot of really nice MySydney students and made heaps of friends. These scholarships help people who wouldn’t necessarily be able to go to university to succeed.”
Like Cameryn, the University and its community of supporters are interested in the gradient of a tangent – in this case, the number of students, irrespective of their backgrounds, who can access an excellent education. Gifts from dedicated donors are accelerating the rate of change at Sydney, providing the next generation with the best possible chance of success.
Maria Teresa with her late husband John and their two sons, Paolo and John Maximilian, at the opening of the John Hooke Physics Laboratory in 2017.
Dott. (Dr) Maria Teresa Savio Hooke
For scholarships donor Dott. (Dr) Maria Teresa Savio Hooke OAM, the transformative power of education is palpable as she reflects on her life. A compassionate, inquisitive woman, she studied languages and foreign literature at the University of Turin, where she also took a postgraduate in Psychology, which was the beginning of her interest in psychoanalysis.
Maria Teresa speaks passionately about universities as a central site for connection. “There is a philosopher that talks about this idea of a communicative community, where students have a chance to meet and understand each other, to discover themselves, to follow what is meaningful and alive for them. When I was at university, we worked in small groups of 10-15, which allowed for an exchange of ideas. I’m a strong believer in learning in groups.”
Her studies in psychoanalysis took her to London, where she completed further training in what she calls the “golden age” of psychoanalysis. It was during this time, on a ski trip, that she met John Hooke CBE (BSc ’55, BE ’58). A University of Sydney alumnus and Chief Executive of Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), he would later become her husband and father of her two sons.
You can see the result of your giving, you see the student who is actually benefitting from the scholarship. The impact is very tangible.
John and Maria Teresa’s journey as donors began in 2011, when they established the John Hooke Chair in Nanoscience, and later, a scholarship for undergraduate science students. “I think philanthropy is an emotional thing. The University of Sydney was the university for John, and he gave because he had this connection with physics, this belief in science and rational thinking.”
Since John’s death in 2018, Maria Teresa has gone on to support postgraduate research scholarships in both chronic disease and Italian Studies. Most recently, she has pledged to support four students from low socioeconomic backgrounds through the Maria Teresa Savio Hooke OAM MySydney Scholarship.
Maria Teresa also emphasises the role educators play. “If you are lucky in life, you find a mentor that helps you find your way. A mentor will see in you something that you don’t see yourself.”
In terms of her motivation as a donor, Maria Teresa says this too comes down to communicative community. “It’s fundamental. Seeing students speak at functions about their experience – building that emotional connection – makes people want to be part of it. You can see the result of your giving, you see the student who is actually benefitting from the scholarship. The impact is very tangible.”
Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson AC
Having served as Chancellor of the University for over a decade, it’s no surprise that Belinda Hutchinson AC (BEc ’76) is deeply passionate about education.
Her father completed an engineering degree after spending World War II as a pilot, benefitting from a scholarship program for returning servicemen and women. “My dad was the first in his family to graduate from university. He used to fly up and down the coast delivering newspapers to cover his expenses.”
His four children all went to Sydney, with Belinda graduating with a Bachelor of Economics.
“My parents always said the most important thing was to give us the best possible education. And they did – all four of their children and many of their grandchildren studied at Sydney.”
The MySydney initiative came at a perfect time, as Belinda was considering how best to honour her parents’ legacy. The Bill and Meila Hutchinson MySydney Scholarship will help 20 engineering and medicine students pursue tertiary education – people like her father, who otherwise might not have had the chance.
Belinda is proud to play a part in what she sees as a crucial element of the University’s ten-year strategic plan.
“We’ve placed equity and diversity at the heart of our aspirations. This is not a ‘nice to have’. Social equity is an important part of our history, and it must be central to our future. If we are to stand among the world’s best universities in terms of education and research, we must genuinely take steps to reflect the communities around us.” And on a personal level? “I know Mum and Dad would be excited.”
Written by Chloe Pryce for the 2023 donor publication. Photography by Stefanie Zingsheim
By supporting education for all, you can help students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access university through life-changing scholarships, ensure they feel supported throughout their studies and enable them to achieve their full potential.