Community & Business
17 April, 2025
Women supporting women
Five country women were announced as the beneficiaries of an $80,000 QCWA Oakey bursary to support their tertiary education in fields benefiting rural and regional areas.
Going to university from the country can be tough - young men and women often have to leave their homes and/or travel long distances to study. This is especially true if you live west of Dalby, or if you choose to study at a university on the coast.
Financially, the impact of tertiary study is felt by the students themselves and, if they are not able to bear the burden by themselves it often moves on to friends and family.
At the same time, country areas are also battling a decline in the number of farmers, teachers and health care professionals.
It was for these reasons that QCWA Oakey branch launched a bursary, open to students from the Darling Downs, studying ag science, education or allied healthcare.
In a sign of the times, the QCWA opened the bursary to both male and female applicants and two young men applied.
Each of the five bursary recipients received a total of $5000a year for their study.
Recipient Jessica Mailman, Oakey State High School’s 2024 School Captain is in the first year of a three year Bachelor of Nursing course at the University of Southern Queensland.
“I’m so extremely grateful to the QCWA,” she said.
Goombungee-Haden 2023 Showgirl Chloe Ferguson from Douglas was another recipient. Ms Ferguson is in the fourth year of a four year Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) course at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
“Thank you to QCWA for this bursary. It lessens the financial burden of uni as I drive regularly to the Sunshine Coast,” she said.
“It’s my final year... the end, I can see it!
QCWA Oakey Branch President Judith Byers gave a speech thanking members for their assistance including Lois Speed OAM and life member Deslie Jannusch, who had initially proposed the idea.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald congratulated the Oakey branch on showing initiative to meet a community need and encouraged the bursary recipients to return to the Region to make a difference in their community.
