St John WA scholarships awarded as part of National Reconciliation Week

Four Edith Cowan University students are the latest to receive a St John WA Memorial Scholarship as part of SJWA’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation. 

They were awarded as SJWA team members gathered to watch Reconciliation WA’s National Reconciliation Breakfast held in Walyalup (Fremantle) and streamed live on NITV and SBS On Demand.

The scholarship is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students undertaking an eligible health sciences degree at ECU.

Nursing students Hannah Humphries, Jacinta Walton and Shania Kickett will each receive $20,000 to support their learning over two years while Larissa Collard will receive $10,000. 

At the SJWA hosted Reconciliation Breakfast on Tuesday, First Nations Relations Specialist Jordan Mogridge spoke about what this year’s theme of “Bridging Now to Next,” means at St John.

“Our scholarship students here today represent more than academic promise — they represent hope, leadership, and the future of reconciliation in this country through the Fiona and Tinesh Memorial Scholarships,” Jordan said.

“The impact of these scholarships creates a powerful ripple effect — not just for the students, but for their mob, and the communities we work in. 

“When we support one student, we’re uplifting entire families, empowering cultural pride, and planting seeds of change that grow across generations. 

“This is how we bridge now to next: by investing in young people who carry not only their own dreams, but the hopes of their communities. 

“Through them, reconciliation becomes something tangible, lasting, and deeply felt.”

Recipients of the scholarship are chosen based on how they will inspire a new generation to lead with heart, think team, make things better, and walk the talk – all the values embodied by SJWA team members Tinesh Tamilkodi and Fiona Lavelle.

Shaw and Partners contributed $30,000 towards the highly regarded scholarships.

Also as part of Reconciliation Week, Premier Roger Cook made a commitment to deliver reparations to living members of the Stolen Generations in Western Australia via the WA Stolen Generations Redress Scheme.

The reparations will provide individual payments of $85,000 for living members of the Stolen Generations in WA in recognition of the harm caused by removal from family and community. 

Learn more about scholarships opportunities at St John WA.