Early Career Alumnus of the Year

Southern Cross University Master of Education graduate Grant Grierson is known for turning sparks of curiosity into flames of confidence. His secondary STEM students design real-world solutions to global problems, guided by a teacher who believes learning should feel like discovery.

That dedication to transforming education has earned Grant the 2025 Southern Cross University Alumni Impact Award – Early Career.

Born in South Africa, Grant’s early life was largely spent exploring the Drakensberg Mountains and on safari with his family, where his his knowledge of the animals would often make Grant the families guide. It seemed only natural he would later pursue his first degree in ecology and wildlife biology.

After migrating to Australia at age 13, he travelled and worked across the globe from the UK to Thailand before returning home to reshape his career. As a restless science graduate turned environmental officer on the mines of Bendigo, he realised something was missing.

Running youth camps with Rotary International revealed his true gift.

“I realised that I could connect and build a rapport with the students on these camps,” he recalls. “So I thought, well, why not see if I can do the same in teaching.”

That decision led him to Southern Cross University (SCU) Lismore campus, where he completed his Diploma in Secondary Education, and fell in love with both the community and craft.

“I absolutely loved it there,” he says. “The campus had koalas wandering through, the lecturers pushed us to think differently, and, living on campus, it just felt like a home.”

It was the beginning of a lifelong commitment to education and a relationship with SCU that would prove pivotal once again in 2019.

“I had a student actually challenge me,” he says with a smile. “They said, ‘You keep asking us to push and do more, but what about you? What are you doing?’ So I said, all right, I’ll do my Master’s degree then.”

“I started off strong and then right in the heat of the Master’s my wife and I found out we were pregnant,” he recalls. “That’s why the online format worked so well. It gave me the freedom to take a term off and come back when I was ready.”

Through the University’s encouragement to experiment and connect, Grant’s professional purpose was reinvigorated.

“The lecturers would push you and say, ‘What are you going to do differently?’” he says. “It wasn’t about memorising the textbook, it was about going out, exploring what’s happening globally and bringing that knowledge back.”

Since completing his Master’s, Grant’s career has soared. He’s taught and led across multiple schools in several states, written education textbooks and designed programs that reach hundreds of students – including a four-day intensive course teaching Year 12 Chemistry to students, some who have not had a science teacher for their whole high school experience.

But his proudest impact is seen in his classrooms, where curiosity and creativity come alive. He champions inclusive education and encourages girls’ participation in STEM, he pushes technology, and challenges students to design real-world solutions to real world problems.

One group of his students, he recalls with pride, built a H.E.L.P.S communication box to help refugees reconnect with their families in remote camps. Another created an AI program that can detect seven lung diseases within 30 seconds.

“I tell my students, we’re going to build things that matter,” he says. “It’s about giving them ownership and a portfolio of work that shows what they can really do.”

“I want my students to leave with a skill set that lets them walk out of here confident.”

He’s equally passionate about rekindling play and imagination in learning.

“When I stick Lego out in front of my now five-year-old, I see this creative mind blossoming,” he says. “Then I get to my Year 8 class, and they say, ‘I can’t do that.’ My job is to remind them – that’s the whole point of being here. Let’s learn, let’s play again.”

When Grant received news of his Alumni Impact Award, the moment was as humble as it was emotional. “I was washing dishes,” he laughs. “My wife walked in and asked what was wrong. I said, ‘Nothing’s wrong – this just came out of nowhere!’”

The recognition, he says, affirms his belief that education can be a force for change.

“It was this beautiful moment of not just relief but appreciation,” he says. “All of this work, it’s being noticed. It’s making an impact.”

Now, Grant hopes to give back to Southern Cross through mentorship.

“The University runs a beautiful Bright Futures program, and it would be great to see more students take it up,” he says. “I’d love to mentor Education students outside of those I get on placements, to help them see just how much is possible.”

And for anyone – whether a student unsure of their path or a teacher feeling stagnant – his message is stirring, and captures the energy of a Southern Cross University graduate who refuses to stop learning.

“If you feel like you’ve plateaued, ask yourself, is this really where you want to stop? Push yourself a little bit further. Ask of yourself what you ask of your students every day. Put your hand up.”