UWA student, Ben Grey counts himself lucky to call Albany his hometown, and thanks to UWA’s Albany campus, he’s also been able to pursue his study goals while remaining at home – at least for now!

Ben is currently in his second year of the Bachelor of Commerce at UWA, majoring in Accounting.

“While the UWA Albany campus is very small compared to the main campus in Nedlands, it provides a good learning environment which I am thoroughly enjoying being a part of.”

Ben didn’t take the ATAR pathway into uni. After finishing Year 11 he decided to put his mental health first and take a few years to figure out what direction he wanted to steer his life towards.

"I knew I wanted to pursue a career in something and that I wanted a second chance at an education. So, I decided that a university degree would be the best way of achieving both of those goals. I was able to gain some vocational qualifications in accounting which I could then use as a steppingstone into UWA."

Ben Grey, UWA Bachelor of Commerce student

Taking some time off before starting at UWA gave Ben the chance to excel at uni, even earning himself the Bruce Goulds Memorial Commerce Scholarship established by Mineral Resources and UWA in memory of former Chief Financial Officer, Bruce Goulds.

“When I first started university last year, the prospect of being awarded a scholarship had never entered my mind. My only intention was to achieve the best results that I could. I knew that putting the effort in would benefit me somewhere down the line. I just never expected those benefits would arrive during my time studying.”

The scholarship enabled Ben to continue to focus on his studies without needing to worry about saving money. And as he nears graduation, Ben hopes to put some of his scholarship towards spending a semester abroad on exchange.

"I believe that this experience will have a big influence, not only my education but will also help shape me into a person that can go on to have a successful and fulfilling career."

Ben hopes to gain professional accreditation as an accountant – potentially building his career in Albany or taking his qualifications to new places.

Finding his place at UWA through an alternative pathway and earning excellent results at UWA so far, Ben says he has been given the “confidence to strive for something more ambitious”.