Student support: New bursary launched at St Joseph’s

ST JOSEPH’S College Geelong has announced a significant new bursary to help prospective students get a quality education regardless of their financial situation.

The Fatone & Collard Bursary has been revealed following a successful Giving Campaign at the college this year and is the latest addition to the the St Joseph’s College bursary program

The new bursary is named after St Joseph’s Old Collegians James Fatone and David A. Collard, and is part of the wider program that provides financial support for families committed to a quality education for their sons, based on the belief that a family’s socio-economic background should not dictate the path of their education.

“I’m a strong believer that your background doesn’t determine your potential, or your future,” Mr Fatone said.

“Whether you’re from a wealthy family or one struggling to get by, everyone deserves access to education and opportunities that will help them reach their goals.”

He said he personally understood the struggles some families faced in trying to secure education for their children, with his own mother working tirelessly to do so for him.

“It is because of her hard work and determination that I am in the position I am today, and I will be forever indebted to her for the opportunity she gave me to receive the education provided by St Joseph’s College.”

Mr Fatone and Mr Collard have remained close friends since graduating from St Joseph’s College and are now executives at Scale Facilitation, a global innovation firm.

Mr Collard attributes his personal success in part to the education he received at St Joseph’s College and wants to help continue the cycle with this bursary.

“Scale Facilitation is about removing the barriers inventors face when bringing innovations to the world, and our intention for the Fatone & Collard Bursary is to remove barriers and create opportunities for our next generation innovators, starting first with access to a world-class education,” Mr Collard said.

He said the decision to partner with St Joseph’s was easy.

“We want to ensure young people have access to a strong education at a great school, creating a talent pool for the kind of local and international employment opportunities Scale Facilitation is eager to provide.”

As well as the bursary, Scale Facilitation and St Joseph’s College are also working towards establishing the Collard Family Entrepreneur Program, to encourage and enhance creative thinking for the future.

This program will develop students’ entrepreneurial skills across a wide range of business-related areas and provide innovative pathways to set students up to be leaders of tomorrow.

St Joseph’s College’s bursary program is funded by support from the SJC Foundation, St Joseph’s Old Collegians Association, St Joseph’s annual Giving Gampaign, parents and friends and ongoing donors.

All Grade 6 primary school pupils and their families across the Greater Geelong region can apply for bursary assistance.

This year, the St Joseph’s College bursary program supported 20 students with an education at the school.

Last week’s “A Part of it All” Giving Campaign will help support another 15 students with an education at St Joseph’s education in 2023.

The college has expressed its thanks to all who contributed to support the bursary program and provide these opportunities to its students.