The Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship Fund is pleased to announce Lawm Pui Min Tun as the 2024 Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship recipient!
Lawm Pui Min Tun
Lawm Pui is in her final year of Biomedical Science at the University of Western Australia, specialising in Anatomy and Human Biology. Passionate about helping others, Lawm has excelled academically and actively contributes to the community. She has been recognised for achievements across various subjects and taken on leadership roles at UWA, where she volunteers to guide and support new students. Lawm also tutors high school students, extending her commitment to education beyond her own studies.
Balancing academic responsibilities with leadership and volunteer work, Lawm is focused on her goal of becoming a General Practitioner. Her aspiration to combine scientific knowledge with compassionate patient care drives her dedication to making a positive impact in the community.
Samara Coverley
Samara was both the 2023 and one of the 2022 Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship recipients.
Originally from Collie, she is studying Biomedical Science with an interest in Chemistry and Pharmacology and wants to complete a Master of Pharmacy after completing her undergraduate studies. She is specifically interested in developing pharmaceuticals to treat chronic illness and infectious diseases.
When she is not studying Samara enjoys playing basketball in her community and reading, having a particular interest in Manga (Japanese comics). “After getting used to reading right to left you can discover a range of unique art and stories, not found in typical media.”
Kawlija-Merle Brahim
Kawlija-Merle was one of the 2022 Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship recipients. They are from a remote Aboriginal town in the Northern Territory and is studying a Bachelor of Arts and majoring in Psychology in Society and Indigenous Knowledge, History and Heritage. There is a desperate need for Indigenous psychologists in Australia, as there are pitfalls where mainstream psychologists may fail to understand their Indigenous patients. Kawlija-Merle wants to step up and be a positive force in their community, as an Aboriginal person, and one day they would like to go and give back to their community through their studies.
Kawlija-Merle enjoys everything creative, whether that be digital drawing, writing short stories, painting and learning the piano. Since graduating high school in 2020, they have continuously been involved with the Follow the Dream Program, tutoring students. “It feels so rewarding to watch the kids I’ve grown up alongside go on to achieve their potential and to also be a role model and mentor for the new students”
Emily Bennett
Emily Bennett was the 2021 Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship recipient. Emily is pictured here with her family and with Bronwyn and Sami Rasmussen at a morning tea to celebrate the announcement.
Emily is fascinated by psychology, human nature, computing and artificial intelligence (AI). Her impressive ATAR results earned her entry in to a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (majoring in Neuroscience) and a Bachelor of Science (majoring in Computer Science). The Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship will allow Emily to focus on pursuing her studies and keen interest in AI.
The selection committee was impressed by Emily’s love of education and learning, resilience and determination to succeed, ability to overcome adversity and personal challenges, and desire to give back to the community.
Mitchell Snow
Mitchell Snow was the 2020 beneficiary of The Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship.
Mitchell was raised in the South West. His impressive ATAR results earned him a UWA Direct Pathway Engineering Scholarship, and after spending a year working full-time he commenced his undergraduate studies at UWA in 2019. The Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship will help reduce the financial burden of living away from home, allowing Mitchell to focus on pursuing his studies.
The selection committee was impressed by Mitchell’s strong ties to family and the community, love of education and knowledge, his resilience and determination to succeed.
Jade House
The Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship Fund was pleased to announce Jade House as its second beneficiary.
Jade is originally from Australind and attended Manea Senior College before gaining direct entry into Medicine at UWA through her hard work and outstanding Year 12 ATAR results. Whilst Jade is excited to be the first in her family to attend university, this has meant that at 17 years of age she has had to leave home and move to the city. The Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship will help Jade with costs associated with moving away from home to study and will allow her to focus on what is important to her – studying medicine.
Jade’s interest in helping others and drive to succeed is something that Geoff would have greatly admired and the selection committee was particularly impressed by.
Sara Shengeb
The inaugural Geoff Rasmussen Scholarship holder is Sara Shengeb. Sara and her family came to Australia from the East African nation of Eritrea as political refugees in 2011, when she was 17. Sara’s father had been forced into exile from the state for political reasons when she was just 10 and the family was experiencing increasing persecution. She faced mandatory conscription to the army at 17-years-of-age. Sara’s mother made the decision to smuggle her children out of Eritrea. The family managed to flee to Khartoum, Sudan, then Ethiopia and finally, to Australia.
Since she arrived in WA, Sara has worked to contribute to her local community. She excelled at school and achieved entry into Psychology and Chemistry at UWA, where she is in her final year.
While undertaking full-time study, Sara works part-time at the Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia and volunteers her time to numerous government and non-government bodies to advocate for the voices and needs of young people.
She was recently awarded Young Citizen of the Year by her local council, the City of Kwinana, and last year was a finalist in the Young Human Rights Medal category of the National Human Rights Awards.
Sara was also recently chosen as one of seven young people to participate in the Hong Kong Exchange, a State Government initiative seeking to improve cultural understandings between Australia and Hong Kong. Sara is currently serving as an Advisor to Hon. Paul Papalia, Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests.