Scholarship for ACU Education Students

Aimee Linklater

CCSP supports the ACU Scholarship Program with our annual $5000 scholarship, helping to empower ACU students to thrive academically and personally.

We are delighted to announce our 2025 recipient of the CCSP Scholarship, Aimee Linklater.

Aimee is a 4th year student completing a Bachelor of Education (Secondary and Special Education) at ACU, Strathfield Campus.

Aimee is passionate about encouraging parental engagement ‘because it creates a strong support system for students, bridging the gap between home and school. When parents are actively involved, students feel more supported, fostering their confidence, motivation, and academic success. Parental engagement also helps teachers better understand each student’s unique needs, cultural background, and strengths, enabling more personalised and effective teaching strategies.

‘Collaborative relationships with parents build trust, reinforce shared educational goals, and promote consistency in expectations and values.

‘I chose to undertake this degree because of my experience as a disability support worker, particularly in learning support assistance. During this role, I fell in love with the work, finding immense joy in supporting growth and learning. Being an advocate came naturally to me, and it sparked a passion for creating inclusive educational environments. This degree equips me with the knowledge and skills to address challenges, adapt teaching strategies, and empower students to reach their full potential. By pursuing this career, I will contribute to a more equitable education system and make a lasting difference in my community.”

Congratulations, Aimee!

Taleise Pickavance

Taleise is undertaking a Bachelor of Education Primary at Strathfield campus through the Away from Base program at the Australian Catholic University.

Taleise chose a teaching degree because of the significant impact that her own Aboriginal Education Workers had on her as a student. Their support and understanding inspired her to become a positive influence for others, particularly First Nations students. Her passion for engaging parents in their child’s learning journey stems from her commitment to making a positive impact on children’s lives and helping shape their future.

She says, 'I believe that creating a safe, inclusive environment is crucial for students to develop confidence and a strong sense of self-identity. By fostering open confidence and collaboration between parents and teachers, it allows for the opportunity to build a supportive network that helps students feel valued and motivated.’

We are delighted to support Taleise in her teaching career.

Find out here how the CCSP scholarship has helped Taleise:

Kowsiha Thayananthan

Kowsiha's goal has always been to help people and make a difference in society in the best way possible. As a teacher, her goal is to give students the foundation to thrive and achieve their potential. She says:

'I believe that education is a partnership between schools, teachers, and parents and this partnership is vital to the success of a student. Establishing open and authentic communication with parents will help give teachers broader knowledge of a student's learning ability, motivation, behavior, and attitude toward education. This in turn creates a strong relationship, between teachers and parents, of trust and a united approach that will benefit their child's educational success.'

William Hack

‘Through my Catholic upbringing, I have developed a strong passion for education and community engagement. I believe it is essential that students, their families, the school and the community work collaboratively to enhance the social, emotional, spiritual and academic outcomes for all students.’

‘I chose education because I believe it will enable me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of many young people.

I believe that teachers are extremely privileged to work with students at such a critical time in their development, in which their impact can help students to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life. I hope to foster a growth mindset in all my students and empower them with the belief in their own ability to achieve mastery in whatever they choose to pursue.

Establishing positive parent-teacher relationships at the beginning of the school year will also enable me to engage parents in their child’s learning progress throughout the year and to be able to communicate openly about any problems that may arise throughout the school year.

I will seek to actively engage parents in their child’s learning.’

We congratulate William, and look forward to him inspiring students. 

Alannah Kassis

Alannah undertook a Master of Teaching (Secondary) at ACU. Alannah spoke about her motivation to change career and become a teacher, ‘I love helping students, I have been tutoring students since I left school, I enjoyed working in corporate roles however it does not compare with the feeling of joy of helping students. After studying law and business as an undergraduate and working in both respective fields, I realised my true passion lies in teaching.

Veronica Ishak

Veronica understands the vital link between parents and teachers and students. She explained to us how she interacted with and established relationships with parents when students were required to undertake schooling at home due to Covid-19. 

Jessica Hook

The recipient of the scholarship at ACU was Jessica Hook, a final year student hoping to teach in a Catholic primary school.