Mark Smith

Gifting Day 2026 - Will you help Reach One More?

Why I'm Helping Reach One More Student

I work at the University of Newcastle, though not in a lecture theatre or a student support office. I'm part of Digital Technology Solutions, where I help design the systems that sit quietly behind the scenes. Even from there, I see the need. It shows up in the numbers, in the applications, and in the gap between the students who ask for help and the students we can support.

Rising living costs are asking students to make choices no one should have to make: rent, food and transport on one side, and their education on the other. Too often, it's their studies that give way. Not because they lacked ability, but because life asked too much of them at once.

This is personal for me. I come from a lower socio-economic background, and I know what it feels like to balance everyday life and basic needs while trying to build a future for myself and my child. I also came into this industry without a degree. Eighteen years of hard work brought me here rather than to a graduation ceremony, so I understand how much circumstances shape where someone ends up. Some people manage to build their own path, but not everyone can, and no one should have to do it alone.

That's why I'm proud to be a Gifting ambassador, and why I'm taking part in Gifting Day to raise funds for Shaping Futures Scholarships for students experiencing financial hardship and disadvantage.

Supporting scholarships is already close to my heart. I give to scholarships for LGBTQIA+ students and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in need because I believe students facing the steepest climb deserve the strongest support. Gifting Day is a chance to extend that a little further, to students whose only barrier is money.

Right now, there is only one Shaping Futures Scholarship for every 13 applications received. That means that in each round, twelve students are told there isn't quite enough to go around. The need has never been greater.

This year, there's a wonderful reason to give. Thanks to the generosity of The MacDougall Foundation, every donation made in support of Gifting Day will be matched dollar for dollar,* doubling the impact of every gift. A $50 donation becomes $100, and $500 becomes $1,000. On top of that, for every 350 donations received, the University will provide an additional $5,000 Shaping Futures Scholarship.¹ So every gift, whatever its size, helps bring one more student closer to the support they need.

Each scholarship provides $5,000 towards essentials such as accommodation, food, transport, and study materials, so a student can focus on their degree rather than just getting through the week.

But a scholarship gives something money alone can't. It tells a student that someone they've never met saw their situation and decided to believe in them. That kind of encouragement builds confidence, and it can be the difference between finishing a degree and walking away.

Your kindness could help Reach One More future teacher, nurse, engineer, researcher or social worker: someone who will go on to make a real difference in our communities, quite possibly right here in the Hunter.

All donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible, and because the University of Newcastle covers all administration costs, 100% of your donation goes directly to Shaping Futures Scholarships.

Every gift truly counts, and I'm so grateful for yours. 

Please donate by following this link to my Gifting Day Ambassador Page

Thank you.

Why I'm Helping Reach One More Student

I work at the University of Newcastle. Not in a lecture theatre and not in a student support office — I'm in Digital Technology Solutions, designing the systems that sit behind the scenes. But you don't have to be at the front counter to see what's happening. You see it in the numbers, in the applications, in the quiet gaps between who applies and who we can actually help.

Right now, rising living costs are forcing students into choices no one should have to make: food, rent, and transport on one side, and their education on the other. Too often, education is the thing that gets dropped — not because someone lacked the ability, but because they ran out of runway.

I came into this industry without a degree. Eighteen years of work got me here rather than a graduation ceremony, so I've got no illusions about how much circumstance shapes where someone ends up. Some people have to build the path themselves. Not everyone can.

That's why I'm taking part in Gifting Day to raise funds for Shaping Futures Scholarships for students experiencing financial hardship and disadvantage.

Giving to scholarships is something I already do. I support scholarships for LGBTQIA+ students and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in need, because I believe the students who face the steepest climb deserve the strongest backing. Gifting Day is a chance to widen that a little further — to reach students whose only barrier is money.

There is currently only one Shaping Futures Scholarship available for every 13 applications received. That's twelve people, every round, told there isn't enough to go around. The need has never been greater.

Here's what makes this year worth acting on: thanks to the generosity of The MacDougall Foundation, every donation made in support of Gifting Day will be matched dollar for dollar.* Your $50 becomes $100. Your $500 becomes $1,000. It genuinely doubles the reach of whatever you can give.

Each scholarship provides $5,000 towards the essentials — accommodation, food, transport and study materials — so a student can focus on their degree instead of on getting through the week.

But a scholarship does something a bank balance can't. It tells a student that someone they've never met looked at their situation and decided they were worth backing. That's confidence. That's the difference between finishing and walking away.

Your generosity could help Reach One More future teacher, nurse, engineer, researcher or social worker — someone who will go on to make a real difference in our communities, most likely right here in the Hunter.

All donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible, and because the University of Newcastle covers all administration costs, 100% of your donation goes directly to Shaping Futures Scholarships.

Every gift counts. Thank you.