Our Rising Stars

Moacir Palacios

Scholarship makes dream a reality When 15-year-old Moacir Palacios fled Nicaragua five years ago to escape a home life of violence and poverty, he could never have imagined the path his life would take. Moacir is now in Australia, completing the Diploma of Sport Management (Surfing Studies) at Southern Cross University thanks to a $12,500 scholarship from the N. J. Innis Charitable Foundation, a support program set up by former Quiksilver International general manager and Surfing Australia chairman, Norm Innis. The Innis Scholarship is part of Southern Cross University's Rising Stars Scholarships program. "Receiving the scholarship was way beyond anything I ever dreamed of as being possible," Moacir said. "It has given me incredible confidence and a vision to go back to my home in Mexico and help other young kids to get off the streets and turn their lives around. "With the knowledge I gain from doing this course, I want to go back home and open a surf school and surf shop, to give young people an alternative to hanging out in street gangs and getting into trouble. "Maybe by sharing my good fortune in this way, I can help to make even a small difference in the lives of other young people." Read the full story about Moacir Palacios

Our Rising Stars
	Sami Newnham Sami Takes to the Air Former Summerland Credit Union Scholarship recipient, Sami Newnham talks about her time at SCU and her work with Katherine School of the Air.
	Lynne Beames A positive contribution It has taken Lynne Beames six decades of life experience to find her calling, but she reckons that working closely with Indigenous communities is where her heart is.
	Janine Kroemer Janine Kroemer is a Pitta Pitta girl of NW Qld raised on the southern coastlines of Australia. Janine says the journeys and time at Southern Cross Tweed Heads is an experience she will never forget.
	Jay Hooker Jay receives support for studies Determined Elanora-based student Jay Hooker is putting his scholarship to good use as he works to complete his studies at Southern Cross University's Tweed Gold Coast campus.
	Jessica Waldron Jessica wants to help others For Jessica Waldron, the idea of doing something meaningful to help others was the motivating factor in choosing to study a Bachelor of Nursing at Southern Cross University.
	Carleen Corrie When you are rebuilding your life from scratch, a helping hand along the way can make a world of difference and that’s how it was for Southern Cross University Bachelor of Social Sciences student Carleen Corrie.
	Inanna Shea At the age of 40, former Sydney and Blue Mountains resident Inanna Shea has finally found what she says will be her long-term home after moving to Lismore to study environmental science.