Skye McRae-Mitchell

Skye McRae-Mitchell took the courageous step to overcome her fear of failure and restart her university studies. But without the Brighter Futures Scholarship she would be facing a significant financial struggle.

For most of her childhood, Skye faced unpredictability and upheaval from her parent’s’ separation. Frequently moving between households, schools and routines, she knew how to be resilient amid so much instability.

Growing up in a low-income household, Skye started working at 13 years old to cover the cost of school, where she excelled academically.

“I learned adaptability and independence early on,” Skye says. “Just getting your foot in the door for a chance at something takes a lot of hard work. It’s shaped who I am today.”

After graduating from high school, she started a music degree before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. But the social isolation of living alone away from family took an immense toll on Skye’s mental health. She made the difficult decision to withdraw from her study.

After moving to the Gold Coast and working multiple jobs, she became interested in environmental health—a field she felt almost immediately at home in. But after withdrawing from her first degree and now in her mid-twenties, Skye was having some doubts.

“I wondered if I was too old to start again,” Skye says. “But I didn’t want fear deciding my future.”

Since starting her studies at Griffith, Skye has thrived and hasn’t looked back since. Now in the final year of a Bachelor of Health Science (Environmental Health), she’s excited about a career that will have a meaningful impact on community wellbeing.

Skye’s journey hasn’t been easy, as her accelerated program across trimesters leaves little room for her to work, straining her finances. She’s also experienced unexpected housing changes during exams, and the cost of living has forced her to rely on credit cards to bridge gaps.

“There were moments where I truly didn’t know if I’d be able to keep everything together,” Skye says. “But when I opened my email and saw I was getting a Brighter Futures Scholarship, I felt pure relief.”

“I didn’t realise how much tension I was hanging on to. It wasn’t just financial support, it was also validation for what I was doing. It was a reminder that the Griffith community supports me and they believe in students like me.”

With the scholarship, Skye can continue to focus on her final year of study, complete her degree and step confidently into her future career.

“Instead of worrying about rent or taking on extra work, I can dedicate myself to finishing strongly,” Skye says. “It’s truly changed everything and I couldn’t be more grateful to the donors for their support.”