Excellence, Resilience Celebrated at ICMS Scholarship Ceremony March 2022

The March 2022 International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) Professional Scholarship Ceremony was a celebration of 2021 and 2022 scholarship winners.

ICMS Scholarship Ceremony March 2022

The ceremony, held at the ICMS main campus, located in Northern Beaches, Sydney, was attended by scholarship winners, faculty, and industry partner representatives, hosted by Chair of the ICMS Professional Scholarship Program, Ann Whitelock.

The ICMS Professional Scholarship Program has increased the number of scholarships available, and funds distributed each year. “Last year we hit almost $2million and awarded over 150 scholarships, tonight the largest ever number of scholarships will be awarded.” Ms. Whitelock said.  “To the winners, we are so proud of you. You have not only stayed the course but have also stepped up during the two most difficult years. You’ve shown persistence and determination, which is fantastic and sets a great example to those around you. We encourage you to keep taking opportunities and step out of your comfort zone.”

Students sharing their experience at the Scholarship Ceremony

The Scholarship ceremony was face-to-face and live-streamed, enabling students and families to watch from around the globe who continue to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic regulations, lockdowns, and international border closures. ICMS was one of the first private institutions to bring back international students. At the ceremony, students spoke of how they adapted to online learning and achieved despite difficult circumstances. “I entered this beautiful country at the worst possible time in 2020, right before the pandemic and border closing,” Postgraduate Innovation Scholarship 2021 Sabina Maharjan, from Nepal, said. “I’m very grateful to my professors and classmates for always having my back, supporting me through these last two years.

Hybrid Learning ensured no student was left behind

I studied my whole course online but never felt difficulty or less supported by any of the team members or professors. In fact, I think our cohort got more attention than other cohorts as we were always checked up on. The ICMS team made me feel like I had a guardian here in a foreign land. I learned that we should keep moving on, no matter what happens. There’s always a light on the other side of the tunnel.” Besides Covid-19 challenges, and natural disasters such as floods in Australia, students spoke of overcoming obstacles through the support of ICMS and their families, enabling them to take advantage of every opportunity provided by the higher education institute and the scholarship program.

Hope for Scholarship recipients

ICMS Manly Rugby Scholarship winner Yool Yool recounted how his mother escaped war-torn Sudan when he was four-years-old, seeking the safety and security of Australia,  “I was fortunate enough to receive an ICMS scholarship to study property, and due to the help I’ve received from the college I’ve been able to achieve what my mother wanted since moving to Australia,” Yool, who is the first in his family to achieve a degree, said. “A good friend of mine has always told me it takes a village to raise a child, and I am proud to say that ICMS is part of that village.” The students’ experience is aligned with Ms. Whitelock’s explanation of the three key pillars that underpin the program:

• Giving Back
• Diversity
• Inclusiveness

“The program is unique and stands apart from what is offered at universities and public institutions where often a discount is disguised as a scholarship just to promote student numbers,” Whitelock said.  “At ICMS students earnestly receive these through hard work. It’s a very credible process with strong methodology to qualify and select students. They can hold their hand on their heart knowing that they have truly earned their award.” She paid tribute to the industry partners who have supported the program and offer the students not just financial incentives, but priceless work experience that helps students achieve their career dreams.

Daniel Finch, CEO of Wotif & Scholarship partner shares

“The ICMS Scholarship Program is also unique because of our dedicated partners and I’m so grateful on behalf of everybody that you are partnering with us. Your awards enable students to stand above and beyond in competitive times.” Wotif Managing Director Daniel Finch, whose online travel company provides prospective degree students tuition and/or accommodation waivers of up to $30,000 as part of an ICMS Professional Scholarship, said: “To partner with ICMS is a real privilege. In our business, we believe that travel changes lives, technology changes lives and we wanted to have an impact where education would also change lives. What better organisation than ICMS to partner with: World class, exciting, just exceptional at every level. To the recipients I say, make sure you do yourselves proud, do your families proud and do your communities proud. You’ve been given a great opportunity and I truly hope you capitalise on it.”

There is no doubt the ICMS Professional Scholarship Program award winners will do just that. As Nigerian student Oluwatodimu Saliu, past recipient of an ICMS Postgraduate Innovation Scholarship, said: “To the ICMS industry partners, thank you. Please remember that your contributions are impactful. They impact students like us today, so we, in turn, can go out to make a great impact in the future.”

For more on the ICMS Professional Scholarship Program, click here.
To view the livestream ICMS Professional Scholarships Program March 2022 Ceremony, click here