For as long as I can remember, my parents have told me that I can do whatever I set my mind to, as long as I put in the work to prove myself and earn it. From a young age, I always dreamed of being a Melbourne Girls Grammar student, and receiving that academic achievement scholarship was truly an honour because it signified the first time in my life that I had earned something just because of the work I put in. I felt honoured that a school like MGGS, with its rich tapestry of history and culture that has pioneered girls’ education for more than a century, chose me to be a part of its community.

With great honour, comes great responsibility, and I knew that I owed it to myself and to all of the incredibly generous members of the MGGS community who were a part of my scholarship to make the most out of every opportunity and to give back to the community in whatever way I could. I jumped in headfirst – swimming, dance, choir, netball, drama, maths competitions, poetry during my time in Wildfell, and this only grew and developed as the years passed by.

I know that receiving the amazing education and opportunities that Melbourne Girls Grammar offers is a privilege. My scholarship gives me an additional sense of accountability and appreciation for this education – it is not just something my parents provided me, but something I earned myself, and I am determined to give back in whatever way I can. This has stayed with me, as I have represented MGGS internationally at the Global Social Leaders Conference in the UK, and in interschool activities like sport, music or debating; in using my voice to represent the thoughts and ideas of the student body; or advocating for and persevering against world circumstances to carry on the traditions built by the many Grammarians who came before us.

As I get ready to leave MGGS behind, my family and I have discussed what small ways we can ‘pay it forward’ and give back to the School community that has given so much. Starting in 2022, we have created the Rahman Family Bursary, to be awarded to Grammarians from Years 7-12 in support of student/s who have a talent or passion to be fostered, with the bursary to support an event or opportunity that highlights and develops this particular talent. This is just a small way that we, as a family, hope we can give back to MGGS. This bursary is a reflection of our gratitude for the way that the School and its staff have been so supportive of my passions and participation in programs that allowed me to learn skills and create memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. In the same way, we hope that through this bursary, we can support Grammarians doing amazing things outside the classroom in accessing these opportunities that often form the basis of our career and life trajectories.

My family has always championed the idea that an education, and a good education, is the most powerful gift we can receive. I have grown up hearing stories of how the amazing education and high school experiences they had as students of MGGS-equivalent schools in their birth country, Bangladesh, prepared them for the life they lead now, particularly in their transition as international students to Australia, twenty years ago.

Now that I am almost at the end of my time as a MGGS student, with only a few months left to go, I truly understand how powerful and important education that focuses simultaneously on academics and character can be. And while I realised this explicitly as I matured, I knew that I wanted to graduate from Melbourne Girls Grammar, and as someone who has left behind some sort of legacy, and as someone who has the skills and knowledge to take on the world, as can be seen in the scholarship application I wrote in 2015:

This sentiment is one that will never leave me. I hope that throughout my life, I always hold true to my responsibility to be ‘an ethical woman of action’ who leads with courage, compassion, integrity and self-discipline; and eventually, one day, come back and ‘pay it forward’ by supporting many more students to have the honour of earning their place at MGGS, and making the most of all the opportunities they receive. In the meantime, I hope that the wider school community is able to donate and support girls like nine-year-old Ahelee – anxious to prove herself, dreaming of wearing the uniform and walking through the School gates as a student of Melbourne Girls Grammar.

Want to make a difference in a student's life by donating to our scholarship fund? Find out more about how you can help future Grammarians with this type of donation and other gifts in our donor pack or contact our Development team on development@mggs.vic.edu.au for a confidential discussion.