Former St George Girls High School student, Melissa-Ann Gillies, is among the 18 recipients of this year’s John Monash scholarships, Australia’s most prestigious post graduate overseas study program.
A total of 304 people applied for a scholarship.
The selection criteria includes demonstrated excellence in an individual’s field, leadership ability and a vision to deliver a positive impact for the benefit of Australia.
NSW Governor David Hurley recently presented Ms Gillies with her scholarship at ceremony at the Sydney Opera House.
This year’s cohort will study at prestigious international universities. Ms Gillies will travel to Harvard.
She has a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (International Relations) from the University of NSW.
Ms Gillies is a mangement consultant at McKinsey & Company, where her work has focused on strategy and regulatory reform in the public sector, in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Her ambition is to reform social policy in Australia. In particular, she is interested in designing and implementing policy interventions to reduce the incidence and impact of long-term welfare dependency.
She plans to study for a Master of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, focusing on political and economic development.
“We’re identifying the future leaders of Australia and the globe,” chairman of the General Sir John Monash Foundation, Jillian Segal, said.
“These are the people who have the potential to change the world.”
The General Sir John Monash Foundation has rewarded 183 scholarships since its inception in 2001. Many have gone on to global leadership roles in their selected fields.
