My TLC scholarship showed me that AVCAT had a deeper intention than just ‘transforming lives through education’. They were also going to do it with compassion and support.
By Caitlin Gauci
I received my AVCAT scholarship in 2013 – fresh out of high school and commencing a degree that would take me around the world and studying at five universities. I look back with deep gratitude on my ten years of involvement with AVCAT.
My TLC scholarship showed me that AVCAT had a deeper intention than just ‘transforming lives through education’. They were also going to do it with compassion and support. AVCAT’s investment in my potential was a bulwark against the inevitable storms that would come my way. If my scholarship donors had faith in my capacity, then I figured, so could I.
Investing early in veterans’ descendants widens the aperture of opportunity and allows us to explore a boarder range of potential while studying. It sets the tone for the rest of our studies and over time, changes the possibilities available to us post-university. AVCAT scholarship recipients are also imbued with the knowledge that we have a duty to give back because we know that the support we receive comes off the back of generations before us.
In the last ten years, I’ve worked across the public and private sectors to contribute positively to the lives of all Australians. I’ve worked and studied in the Maldives, India, Korea and the UK to deepen Australia’s international relationships. I’ve worked in foreign policy and financial services and lectured as an academic. My TLC scholarship also prompted my volunteer work to improve young Australians’ mental health and educational opportunities. In my studies and work, I’ve aimed to pay forward the support that I’ve received. AVCAT builds on the sacrifices and service of veterans by investing in descendants and empowering them to make the most of their future – a future that many fought hard for. It’s been an honour to be a part of AVCAT’s story.