Swinburne students soar with Community Bank support

The three Community Bank scholarship recipients. From left to right: Taylor Johnson, Emma Beadle and Jackson Gray.
In summary
- Three Swinburne students have been supported by Bendigo Bank Community Bank scholarships.
- Emma Beadle, Taylor Johnson and Jackson Gray are all regionally based, with funding for their scholarships coming from local branches.
- Studying film and TV, health science and game design, they are hoping to make their mark on their respective industries.
Growing up, Emma Beadle moved around rural Victoria to follow her mum’s shifting roles as director of nursing and CEO at various hospitals. But, despite the regular changes of scenery, she noticed that one thing remained the same wherever she went: regional residents like her were not getting the same level of healthcare as their city-dwelling peers. Helping address this imbalance is what inspired Emma to study a Bachelor of Health Science at Swinburne.
“I’m driven by the immense gap in access to clinical services in rural and regional Australia, especially access to mental health services, or lack thereof, that has been greatly exposed during the current pandemic,” says Emma.
“Majoring in Psychology and Psychophysiology, I am constantly intrigued by the effects of the environment on the human psyche. But, at the end of the day, I really just enjoy helping people.”
Emma is one of three regional Victorian students who have been supported to study at Swinburne by Bendigo Bank Community Bank Scholarships from their local branch, working to change the world for the better across diverse fields from health to game design.
Screen dreams to reality
Taylor Johnson was always passionate about gender and racial equality and LGBTQIA+ issues but was unsure about how to spark change. Following her passion for screenwriting, she decided to study Film and Television at Swinburne and quickly realised she could be a part of creating a more inclusive, supportive and progressive culture.
“The lack of diversity and representation in the film industry is something that still shocks me, so my long-term goal is to create and direct films and television shows that give screen time to those who don’t get enough of it,” Taylor says.
“By teaching me how to make films and survive within an intense and fast-changing industry, Swinburne is not only providing me with the means to give life to my passions, but also providing connections to people who share the same dream.”
Before COVID-19 hit, Taylor’s scholarship helped cover the costs of the four-hour round trip to campus from her home on the Mornington Peninsula. But as COVID-19 restrictions made accessing university filming equipment challenging, she found new ways of supporting her success.
“Thanks to the scholarship I was able to purchase entry-level equipment, such as a tripod, microphone and editing software, that allowed me to make the best of my lockdown by still making movies and learning,” she says.
Game on
Like most kids, Jackson Gray always loved video games, but only recently did he see it as a potential career path. After getting hands-on experience during a Swinburne Open Day, he chose a double bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (Game Development) and Games and Interactivity.
However, the field can often be expensive, with large one-off payments required for software licencing or upgrading computer hardware to handle the demands of development.
His Community Bank scholarship has helped him cover those costs as well as the expense of travelling to campus from his home in the Yarra Ranges.
“The scholarship has made it that much easier to make use of the opportunities Swinburne can provide, most notably our capstone project to take a game we made to PAX [Melbourne-based games expo] and network with professionals there. Even not needing to worry about the simple things such as daily Myki fees was a surprising relief.”
Looking ahead
The students now have their sights firmly set on the future. Jackson is looking to secure a position at a Melbourne games studio with an eye on eventually working in Japan, home of Nintendo. Emma is getting ready for placements and considering further study in psychiatry. And Taylor is hoping to eventually travel internationally to explore countries with film industries that offer alternatives to traditional Hollywood narratives, like South Korea and Japan.
All three students are united in encouraging other students to see what opportunities exist in their area.
“I really wish more students coming from rural areas were aware of the scholarships,” says Emma. “I can’t stress enough how it has supported me in forming a foundation for my future.”
---
In 2019, Swinburne partnered with Bendigo Bank to launch the Community Bank at Swinburne. The partnership provides a range of opportunities and reinvests profits back into the Swinburne community. Find out more about our partnership and scholarship opportunities.
-
Media Enquiries
Related articles
-
- Student News
- University
Swinburne placement students to receive financial support
Eligible Swinburne students will soon be able to participate in a new government payment scheme to help ease the financial burden associated with unpaid placements. The Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) is a $331.65 weekly payment for the duration of mandatory, unpaid placement, available from 1 July 2025.
Thursday 08 May 2025 -
- Design
- Student News
- Technology
- Business
Creative Intersections: Building a better world through creativity and technology
Creative Intersections showcases the innovative fusion of creativity and technology, highlighting Swinburne VET students' achievements through exhibitions, workshops, and screenings at ACMI from 6–8 December 2024.
Wednesday 04 December 2024 -
- Student News
- University
Swinburne student maximises degree through prestigious scholarship
Swinburne student Mitch Guest is making the most out of his semester exchange in Korea through the New Colombo Plan Scholarship.
Friday 15 November 2024 -
- Student News
TechnologyOne STEM scholarship helps Swinburne student level-up in the gaming industry
Swinburne Bachelor of Games and Interactivity student, Ruby Hall has been awarded one of TechnologyOne’s STEM scholarships which aim to support young women in the tech industry
Monday 28 October 2024 -
- Social Affairs
Swinburne students find ‘no evidence’ for electronic monitoring of youth offenders
Swinburne undergraduate students have evaluated whether electric monitoring practices align with legal standards and human rights.
Monday 21 October 2024