University of Adelaide - Impact of Giving 2022 - Flipbook - Page 12
John’s gift
Impact of Giving
As an undergraduate student and the first in his family
to attend University, Dr John Byron (BA (Hons) 1998)
received financial assistance from the University
at a critical time during his degree. Now, having
built a successful career in research and education
policy – and more recently as a celebrated crime
author – John is giving back to the University of
Adelaide community to support other students
in need through the Student Emergency Fund.
“I really don’t think I could have had that level of
academic achievement without the support from the
University, and the donors who enabled it,” he said.
“Being an undergraduate alone in a city a thousand
kilometres away from my family and trying to make
it on my own without government support was a
really challenging time. The University stepping
in at those critical times could have been the
difference between success and failure for me.”
“Once I started making a reasonable salary, I
was so happy to give back to the University
because they’re the ones who gave me
a boost at those critical moments.”
“I remember asking when I
needed to pay the fund back
“The big thing about giving back to your University
and was so shocked when
where you came from is that there’s a sense of
they told me I didn’t have to – belonging – being here changed who I am and
because donors had given the gave me the tools to become a different person.”
money to the University so it’s
“Giving back feels like topping
there when people need it,”
up the well. When the well
John said.
starts to get dry, you need
John received the University medal for his
a big rain. And I want to be
final thesis and went on to complete a PhD in
part of that,” John said.
English Literature at the University of Sydney.
Dr John Byron.
Photo by Rebecca Taylor
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