On Thursday 6 June, Damascus College held the annual Bright Futures Breakfast, which was this year re-imagined to be a Pathways Panel & Breakfast event. This breakfast raised funds for the Damascus Bright Futures Scholarship, which offers a Year 7 student 50% tuition relief based on financial or personal disadvantage.

At this event, we proudly welcomed back alumni, Dr Jason Kelly, Class of 1991, a renowned researcher in pathology and cancer research at the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute. Jason spoke of the need for young people to follow their passions when choosing a career, and kept the audience spellbound by updating us on current cancer research advances, in particular immunotherapy.

Our next panelist was Adele Nairn, from the Class of 2000. Adele's career has been marked by her commitment to community leadership and regional development. She currently leads the Future Shapers program at the Committee for Ballarat, where she empowers individuals to drive positive change in our community. Adele spoke of how she embraced the non-traditional elements of her education, particularly within the Vocational Education and Training (VET) structure, where she balanced regular classes with work placements as a VET student, where she gained practical skills that shaped her future.

And our final panelist was current Year 11 student Haileigh Buttigieg who has shown remarkable dedication to STEM subjects and has taken on leadership roles in Girls in STEM initiatives. Her passion for science and her aspiration to become a Neurologist is truly inspiring. Haileigh amazed the audience with her determination and grit to achieve her career goals, whilst maintaining a healthy balance.

With close to 100 guests in attendance, our esteemed panelists discussed the many and varied career pathways available after graduating Damascus. Thank you to all that attended to support this worthy cause.