George Winterton Cup: Cameron Shamsabad wins prestigious award
A former student of the University of Western Sydney said he hoped his prestigious award encouraged other young people to aim high.
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Constitutional law flies over the head of most people, but the subject has won one university student $10,000.
Cameron Shamsabad, a 23-year old law student from St Clair, will receive the George Winterton Cup next week at Government House for his essay on the history of Australia’s Senate and its constitution.
The award, run by the Constitution Education Fund of Australia, is an annual essay competition, one of the most prestigious in the country.
“I was encouraged to enter due to my strong interest in constitutional law, and I thought it would be an excellent way to round out my studies and compete against the best in my field,” Shamsabad said.
“I was recently engaged at the end of 2018, so everyone was expecting me to go on an exciting vacation with her.
“I think I disappointed her by locking myself inside for two weeks writing an essay.”
Shamsabad reached the top six, meaning interviews with a panel of high ranking judges and lawyers.
“No-one from my university normally breaks into the top six, I think the last time that happened was a second place in the early 2000s,” he said.
“The panel cross-examined me for 40 minutes on my essay, which was exhilarating and nerve-racking at the same time.
“I gave them a lot of information on the Federation of Australia, and I think that might have been what wowed the judges.
“My essay had a very strong historical focus, and it plotted why things are the way they are.”
A week later, Shamsabad received a phone call telling him he’d won.
“I can’t say I didn’t have a tear in my eye,” he said.
“It was one of the proudest moments of my life.
“I was the second of my family to go to university, the first lawyer, so to break a huge milestone like that was completely out of this world for both me and my family.
“Coming from the western suburbs, to achieve something like this for my community is a great honour, and I hope it inspires other young people to aim high.”
Shamsabad is now doing postgraduate studies at the University of Sydney, and wants to complete a PhD before becoming a barrister.