When University of Tasmania alumna Judith McKernan (BSc 1962) returned to university as a mature-aged student in Sydney, she was struck by a realisation: many students were struggling to make ends meet. She noticed the same when her children went to university.
“I could see that there were young people who were struggling, not through a lack of ability but the wherewithal to keep themselves fed, or to pay for somewhere to stay, or to buy a computer, or have access to one.”
Judith, a fourth generation Tasmanian, had been giving to the University for some time before she began donating specifically to scholarships, which fitted well with her hope to make a difference and improve access to higher education.
“I was privileged. I went through university on a scholarship,” she said.
“When you think that a small amount from me can help these students with living expenses and the equipment they need, it’s a great thing to do.”
Judith’s father’s family owned The Mercury newspaper, and her father was an electrical engineer looking after a number of large firms that ran big machinery.
“He had ideas that I might go to Oxford,” Judith said, adding that he encouraged her in the sciences. But Judith chose to remain in Hobart, where she studied science at the University of Tasmania. She then went on to do her master’s and two degrees in maths in Sydney.
“I was lucky. Others aren’t, but I can help some of these young people to get a degree so they can get a good job when they finish,” she said.
Since 2019, she has been supporting College of Sciences and Engineering student Brianna Fenton through the Judith McKernan Scholarship in Science. Brianna has been dealing with significant challenges while at university following a family tragedy.
Seven years ago, Brianna’s mother had a serious car accident, that left her with an acquired brain injury. Brianna became the carer for her mother and took on a parenting role for her younger siblings.
Brianna says the scholarship helped her with study expenses and to take on less part-time work.
“During the first couple of years of my degree, the scholarship helped me purchase all the study materials I needed – the laptop was the main thing, which really helped when university went online during COVID,” she said.
“I was able to get a desk and a good chair, to set up my study space. In the following years, the scholarship helped with my living expenses, so I was able to stop working as much. I saw a major improvement in my grades. I was much happier and less stressed.”
Judith says she is very proud of Brianna, adding, “She has obviously had a few hurdles in her time at university, something which I didn’t have… I am glad that the times have changed and females are allowed in the Engineering School!”
When Judith attended high school in Hobart, she had to travel to The Hutchins School to study the science subjects she wanted to pursue, a topic she has discussed with Brianna.
“I really enjoyed my degree,” Brianna said. “It was different to what I expected. I grew up in rural areas and was not aware of the domination of men in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) … It was interesting talking with Judith about this and how it was back when she was at school and university – it was even more divided then.”
Judith says she congratulates Brianna on graduating and wishes her well in the new phase of her journey.
“I hope that she will enjoy putting what she has learnt into practice,” she said. “Times have changed, but there are still problems for females in a male-dominated world – I was horrified when my then 15-year-old daughter told me that a lot of girls in her year said, ‘I am not doing maths because my mother didn’t do it, so why should I?’.
“I am very proud of being part of Brianna’s journey in the science/engineering world. I’m glad it has helped her. She has done so well. I’ve been pleased to be taking some of the pressure off the day-to-day side of the equation. When you’re trying to look after someone as well as doing a degree – it’s not easy.”
Brianna is now working at Hydro Tasmania for the next three years, testing out different areas of work to help her decide on her career focus. And, like Judith, continued education is not off the agenda.
“I’m not opposed to doing more study in future,” she said.
Main image: Brianna Fenton
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