Recipient of scholarship first worked with Queensland Police

It’s been a long journey for this student to get to university, and now she has been selected for a unique study opportunity because of her commitment to her studies.

For Anna Neumann, a proud Ngiyampaa woman, her journey through tertiary education was long, varied, but obviously worth the challenges due to her latest accolade.

The University of Southern Queensland student has been named a scholar in the prestigious Aurora International Study Tour.

After 25 years in the police service, she began a Bachelor of Anthropology to learn more about her family’s rich history.

“I was inspired to study after watching Professor Marcia Langton in the First Australians series – it impacted on me greatly due to my grandfather being part of the Protection Board era,” she said.

“I think about it often, how his life must have been and how privileged my life is today compared to his, in only two generations.

“I began to delve into anthropology, and it seemed to be everything I wanted to learn about – Indigenous cultures around the world, archaeology, history, impacts of colonisation, and the environment.

“So, I enrolled and haven’t looked back, I love what I study.”

Ms Neumann said her selection for the scholarship and study tour was extremely important to her, and an honour above all.

“My heritage is very important to me and my family and this scholarship opens up opportunities for postgraduate studies in my field,” she said.

“These are opportunities I would never have dreamt of and I hope my ancestors will be proud.”

Find out more about studying anthropology: https://www.usq.edu.au/study/degrees/arts-and-humanities/anthropology.