Join the Staff Giving Program
Kelly Bailey is the Arts, Education and Law Manager, Group Program Services, working across Griffith’s five campuses. Kelly attended the Staff Giving welcome lunch for this year’s scholarship recipients at the Mt Gravatt campus in March and joined the Staff Giving Program on the day.
Kelly has experienced first-hand, the juggling act that goes on to support yourself and manage your studies as a university student. Kelly shares her story below.
“I grew up on a council estate in London, with a single parent income, so things weren’t easy. I was first in family to attend and graduate from university, so that was a big achievement for me and my family.
I then immigrated to Australia with my family and began my career in the university sector. I went from answering phones in a student centre, to becoming a manager where my role supports academic staff and I work hard to ensure a positive student experience.
To be able to support our Griffith students in some small way, through the Staff Giving Program, gives me hope that these students won’t have to spend as much time working as I did to try and support themselves throughout their learning journey. I hope they really get to concentrate on studying and fully embrace student life, so they don’t miss out on being given the chance to do their best and gain important experiences.
I wonder why it has taken me so long to join the Staff Giving Program, it is an amazing cause, and it really helps to support and reach those students that really do need it most.
I am proud of my own achievements and how I have overcome my social economic situation. I want to make sure that students that are facing similar situations are given a fighting chance to look back and can see how far they have come in their education journey.
I encourage staff to join the Staff Giving Program as soon as possible, as I know it can change the future outcomes for students doing it tough right now.