We asked 4 Leadership, Excellence and Diversity (LEAD) Scholarship recipients to reflect on what this scholarship meant to them.
Bachelor of Laws (Honours) students Lucas, Michelle, Sam and Michaela received a LEAD Scholarship. They explain how the scholarship for law students provided support and helped them prepare for rewarding legal careers.
The LEAD Scholarship is funded by The University of Queensland Endowment Fund (UQef), which was established in 2008 by Wotif.com founders Andrew Brice and Graeme Wood. The LEAD Scholarship program began in 2016 and has already provided over $2.2 million of donations to support students who have experienced educational, social and/or financial disadvantage. Recipients receive $8,000 per year for up to 5 years, a dedicated academic mentor, a unique support network and a non-residential membership at a UQ college – helping them succeed while studying at UQ's prestigious TC Beirne School of Law.
Lucas Steger
I’ve not heard of anywhere else where you can get that level of support.
- Degree: Bachelor of Laws (Honours) / Bachelor of Arts (Criminology and Political Science)
- From: Biloela State High School
- Area of interest: Criminal law
- Scholarship value: “Mentors and a community that has your back”
Moving to the big smoke from the small town of Biloela in Central Queensland, Lucas Steger appreciates a community that has your back.
“Coming to UQ for the first time, I remember I had to pinch myself a couple of times – law school was just completely unfamiliar,” he says.
“I had just left school and was away from my hometown. I had also just moved into college on campus, so it was a big culture shock.”
Commencing a degree surrounded by a network that acknowledges the huge step from high school to tertiary education is paramount – a valuable addition to the law student scholarship that Lucas appreciates.
“Once I got here, leaning on Matt and Caitlin – my academic mentors – during the transition was just so helpful,” he says.
“Being able to go to dedicated academics who have done it all before for advice and support, and who are looking out for you consistently, it’s priceless.”
“They constantly check in on us, ensuring our mental health is strong and that we’re accessing any support we might need, academically and holistically,” Lucas says.
Coming from a small rural Queensland town, and an even smaller high school cohort, Lucas’s final year of schooling was severely disrupted when 2 of his classmates passed away, sending a wave of grief through the community.
Later, he and his classmates were lumped with another hurdle: a school fire that took out major facilities on campus.
“Schooling was disrupted to say the least,” Lucas says.
Identifying that he wanted to pursue law from a young age, Lucas was hugely dependant on his Year 12 results to gain entry into law school. But with such unforeseen impacts in those last 12 months, his learning certainly took a hit.
The LEAD Scholarship takes personal circumstances into account to ensure exceptional students like Lucas don't fall through the cracks.
“It's just been a real blessing. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that without [the scholarship], I wouldn’t be here.”
Michelle O’Grady
Things as simple as moving out of home and travelling overseas – these are things I never could have done before.
- Degree: Bachelor of Laws (Honours) / Bachelor of Economics
- From: Springfield Public School
- Area of interest: Criminal law
- Scholarship value: “The ability to seize co-curricular opportunities”
As the first in her family to attend university, Michelle O’Grady remembers the opportunities she accessed while studying.
“If you're someone who doesn't have money or financial funding, it dictates your university experience,” she says.
“It becomes difficult to take opportunities that run alongside your degree. You want to take risks and adventures, but you just don't have the resources to.”
With the financial support of the LEAD Scholarship, Michelle was able to dive headfirst into co-curricular opportunities.
Throughout her degree, Michelle became a research assistant and later a paralegal with LawRight (secured via placement through the UQ Pro Bono Centre), contributing to a Guardianship and Administration toolkit.
Later, Michelle spent her weekdays at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), completing their coveted work placement program – another opportunity she would have had to skip without the support of the law scholarship.
“I’ve been able to not only take career opportunities like the ODPP [a 4-week full-time placement] without added financial stressors, but also life experiences that have made me who I am today,” Michelle says.
“Things as simple as moving out of home and travelling overseas – these are things I never could have done before.”
Securing a LEAD Scholarship isn’t just about the financial security it affords. It allows students to pursue the curriculum to its full extent without overextending in part-time work.
“When you transition from school to university, it’s challenging to find a community, and not everyone finds it immediately,” Michelle says.
“Meeting other recipients who understood my background and having mentors from day one helped me through my journey.”
Sam Skinner
It has been a really great opportunity to get to know what it's like in one of the big firms.
- Degree: Bachelor of Laws (Honours) / Bachelor of Arts (Psychology)
- From: Biloela State High School
- Area of interest: Commercial law
- Scholarship value: “Networking and access to unique opportunities”
During his time with UQ, Sam Skinner worked hard to secure a position as a research clerk with top-tier law firm MinterEllison.
“To see what I'm learning put into practice has been so rewarding," he says.
"There's a massive difference between learning the law and putting it into practice. I now know this is where I want to end up.”
However, this wasn’t always the case.
Being largely alone in his interest in the law, Sam felt isolated while pursuing legal studies at school.
He notes that without the support of his legal studies teacher Ms Donohoe, he might not have applied to UQ.
“Rural public schools don’t have debating or mooting, and my family and friends – while supportive – have different career interests,” Sam says.
“My dad is an operator at the power station, my mum is a teacher in early childhood development and my sister is a registered music therapist.”
“I was lucky enough to have my legal studies teacher bring this scholarship to my attention. With her help, I was also able to complete work experience at a solicitor's firm and at the Cleveland Magistrates Court in Brisbane.”
“Combining all these experiences, I knew then that this was how I wanted to commit the rest of my life,” Sam says.
Michaela Gyasi-Agyei
I noticed the injustices happening around the world, and I wanted to have the knowledge and skills to address those issues.
- Degree: Bachelor of Laws (Honours) / Bachelor of Economics
- From: Mansfield State High School
- Area of interest: Commercial law
- Scholarship value: “Dual-degree capabilities”
Michaela Gyasi-Agyei was born in Finland to Ghanaian parents and lived in Rockhampton before attending Mansfield State High in Brisbane. Following in her parents’ footsteps, who moved across the globe to pursue learning, Michaela was lucky enough to always appreciate the importance of higher education.
As a high school student, Michaela remembers Deng Adut, a former child soldier turned successful lawyer, influencing her dream to pursue law.
“When I was graduating high school, I was really interested in the idea of justice,” says Michaela.
“I noticed the injustices happening around the world, and I wanted to have the knowledge and skills to address those issues.”
Supported by her family and sister (who later followed her footsteps and secured her own LEAD Scholarship), there was never any doubt she had the motivation to pursue law. Perhaps what was unexpected, though, was how much she enjoyed studying a dual program with economics at UQ.
“I didn’t study economics during high school, but my mum always encouraged me to read about the subject and keep up to date with news concerning the economy,” says Michaela.
“The fields of law and economics turned out to have more in common than I expected. Economics is more than just graphs and mathematical equations – it’s a social science. It involves studying what motivates people, the decisions people make in certain circumstances, and the costs of these decisions.”
“Observations about human behaviour and motivations like this are interesting to apply to areas of the law. For example, these findings can help us to maximise the effectiveness of legislation, improve enforcement and deterrence, and foster constructive engagement with the legal system. At the end of the day, both law and economics are all about humanity.”
Michaela believes that combining her undergraduate law degree with economics will help diversify her skills in the profession, making her a competitive graduate.
Michaela enjoyed using her analytical skills as a research clerk at McCullough Robertson Lawyers.
“I've found the field of commercial law allows me to apply the analytical skills I've gained from my economics and law studies,” she says.
“I'm particularly interested in the opportunity to conduct pro bono work.”
