A laptop, a new bike for her eldest son and ongoing household bills. The Sole Parents and Carers Country Scholarship Vanessa Sadler receives not only supports her UNE studies, but also provides peace of mind in powerful ways.
“The scholarship has been of immense benefit,” says the sole parent to two teenage boys, who lives on Victoria’s Phillip Island. “The funds always seem to appear at exactly the time I need them, giving me the breathing space to cover the day-to-day costs of living.”
“But, beyond that, the scholarship is a show of faith in me. It gives me the confidence to keep persevering, even when the challenges seem insurmountable.”
Vanessa wanted to become a psychologist at age 15 but left high school in Year 11 to work as a dental assistant. After returning to TAFE to complete her HSC by night, she undertook a Bachelor of Social Science in her early 20s but then diverged on the path to becoming a clinical psychologist.
“I somehow ended up completing Honours in literature and worked in communications instead. However, my passion for Psychology never left me and, at the age of 41, I went back and completed a Graduate Diploma of Psychology amid COVID and home-schooling.”
By the time Vanessa had enrolled in Honours at UNE in 2025, she was certain of her professional ambitions but less sure of her capacity to manage study, part-time work and her busy family life.
“Raising two growing boys 100% on your own is a big job and I was seriously considering deferring. When I learnt I had received the scholarship, it gave me goosebumps – and the message that maybe I was supposed to be doing this after all. It kept the flame alight.”
For Bachelor of Special and Inclusive Education student Jane Clifford, who lives in regional Victoria, the scholarship has been a “huge help”. It has enabled her to buy important teaching resources while also meeting household expenses.
“As a single parent to a child with autism, I never put my needs first,” she said. “Even working part-time has proven difficult. But my studies are a way to set myself up for a sustainable future career – one in which I can help children live better lives.
“The scholarship is a great comfort and takes the pressure off. It allows me to enjoy my course and to achieve strong results without worrying about how I’m going to pay the next power bill.”
UNE Manager of Advancement, Alumni and Events, Samantha Crick, said the Sole Parents and Carers Country Scholarship is one of several initiatives created to meet the critical need among students just like Vanessa and Jane.
“By expanding the Student Scholarships and Support Fund, we can directly address specific gaps within our student community,” she said. “As this fund grows, we aim to develop new opportunities or increase existing ones to assist our learners. “Currently, we support four students through the Sole Parents and Carers Scholarship, but the need is vast. We hope to attract the generous support required to increase both the number of scholarships and their value, to ensure they keep pace with rising cost-of-living pressures.
“This scholarship recognises that UNE learners are often juggling a multitude of responsibilities as they further their qualifications. The funds meet genuine, immediate needs and create a powerful ripple effect, transforming not just the future of the individual student, but the lives of their families and, ultimately, their communities.”
In Vanessa’s case, perhaps that will include her island home. “I am studying psychology so I can help people. I often drive past our little community hospital and dream about taking up a consulting room, so I can make a difference to those who have experienced trauma.
“My studies have been a big leap of faith, and I’ve long been inspired by a quote that says we often hurl ourselves into the abyss only to discover it’s a featherbed. This UNE scholarship has provided that soft landing for me.”
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Your gift to the UNE Foundation helps us to change the lives of hundreds of people like Vanessa - Students, Scholarships, Prizes and Graduation - University of New England (UNE).
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STAFF GIVING
For staff who would like to give through to the Student Scholarships and Support fund where scholarships such as the Sole Parents and Carers Scholarship, you can do so by signing up to our Staff Giving Program (insert the link which I'll find and place below)
Staff Giving to UNE Program - UNE HR service Portal
