A Far North Queensland teen is daring to dream big after receiving a $30,000 scholarship designed to set James Cook University students up for success.
Ashlee Browning has been named as this year's recipient of the QCoal Foundation Scholarship, which provides a James Cook University student from regional or remote Queensland with $10,000 each year for three years to offset the costs of studying.
The 18-year-old, who hails from the farming town of Tolga on the Atherton Tablelands, is the 10th recipient of the scholarship since it was first launched in 2015.
"I was very excited to learn I had been selected. I was over the moon," Ms Browning said.
"I applied for it because I thought it would be really beneficial in not only helping me get through my degree, but also to give back to a rural area.
"The scholarship has already helped to pay for my relocation and accommodation in Townsville and has eased the burden of needing to work as much, which means that I can focus on my studies."
Ms Browning said she chose to study a Bachelor of Science majoring in Geology because of the diverse career opportunities the degree offered.
"I enjoy learning about the history of things but I also enjoy being hands on. Geology gives me a bit of both – I can learn about the history of the Earth as well as being out in the field," she said.
"It will depend where I'm at after graduation but my plan for the moment would be getting into the mining sector."
Ms Browning encouraged school leavers considering applying for next year's scholarship to "go for it".
"You've got to jump at an opportunity like this to have a bit of extra support. It takes a lot of stress out of studying and makes uni life a little easier," she said.
"My advice to those applying would be to be yourself. Talk about what matters to you and what you actually plan to do with your degree."
QCoal Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sylvia Bhatia said the organisation was proud to offer the scholarship in partnership with JCU for the 10th consecutive year.
"This year marks ten years of the QCoal Foundation Scholarship and we are delighted to be supporting another impressive student from regional Queensland," Ms Bhatia said.
"Ashlee's application really resonated with us, especially her appreciation and understanding of the challenges facing regional and remote communities and the importance of building community resilience.
"Ashlee's perspective showed understanding and genuine interest and commitment to that resilience – which aligns with QCoal Foundation's overall goal.
"We had another very strong field of applicants which demonstrated the dedication and strength of students from across regional and remote Queensland."
