Located 243 kilometers outside of Perth in the heart of Western Australia's Wheatbelt, Bruce Rock is a small agricultural town with and the home of Chiropractic student, Cadence Cattle.  

Growing up 

The local school, Bruce Rock District High School, only went to Year 10, so Cadence got her first taste of moving away from home in Year 8, when she relocated to Perth for boarding school. 

A bursary helped with the cost of her five years as a boarder, which took some of the financial pressure off her parents. Cadence says she's "super lucky" they were able to fund her education. Boarding school also gave her the chance to explore different ATAR subjects. "I found Human Biology really fascinating, and it sparked my interest in the human body," she says. 

Finding her path 

Cadence's first plan was to study Physiotherapy, but she didn't get the marks she needed for direct entry. She considered Chiropractic instead and applied to study with us, as we're the only university in WA that offers it. 

After graduating, she deferred her place and took a gap year to earn some money and feel more financially stable before starting uni. Now in her first year, she's really enjoying the course. "I'm so glad I find the content interesting," she says. "It's something I could be passionate about." 

Living on her own 

Like a lot of students who move from regional or remote areas for university, Cadence was aware of the challenges that would come with moving to the city to study. 

"Many regional students are either in situations where it isn’t possible to reside in the city and need to apply for uni accommodation, have financial pressures that make studying quite difficult, have lifestyles that juggle the work and uni life differently and cannot sufficiently fund expenses or even come from backgrounds that are not entirely equipped to attend university." 

Boarding school made the move a bit easier, as she already had a routine away from home and had adapted to city life early on. Living on her own was a bigger step. It meant paying bills, learning to cook healthy meals, getting around the city by car and public transport, and fitting in work, study, and a social life. 

Cadence was homesick at times while boarding, and again at the start of her gap year. "I found that I needed to keep myself busy each day to keep my mind off the fact I'm not with my family." 

"I've gone from living with family, to living with friends, to living on my own," she says. "This was a massive step in growing into who I am now." Along the way, she has learnt to organise her life, keep up her fitness, and, as she puts it, "generally just function as an adult". 

Easing the pressure 

When Cadence found out she'd received one of our Country to Campus scholarships, she was "absolutely stoked". The scholarships help students from regional and remote WA with relocation and other costs in their first year of university. 

For Cadence, that has meant help with the costs of living on her own, like bills, food, and fuel. "It has alleviated a bit of financial pressure and massively helped in supporting myself through the beginning of uni life," she says. 

She knew how much it would help as soon as it came through her bank account. "It's a lot of money that has been kindly donated, and I should be using it wisely," she says. 

Outside class 

Cadence has been to a few events on and off campus, including Chiro nights, and has been tracking down activities that offer free food. She'd like to join the netball team at some point too. 

"If given an opportunity, I aim to grab it and push myself out of my comfort zone," she says. Sharing her story here is one example. 

"Some opportunities could lead me to new places and new people. If I decline them, I could end up regretting it, so I'm trying to say yes to things more often." She also finds it motivating to surround herself with people who want to experience new things. 

Looking ahead 

For now, Cadence is taking things one day at a time. "I'm obviously hoping to pass each unit," she says. "I aim to not stress about studying and to make it an enjoyable experience, while trying my best to work hard for what I want." 

Eventually, she'd love to have her own clinic somewhere outside Perth, preferably down south. "Wherever the wind takes me," she says. 

Cadence doesn't shy away from acknowledging how fortunate she was to receive her scholarship, nor the role that donors play in creating these opportunities for regional students. 

"I am extremely grateful that I was lucky enough to receive the scholarship and from people that are selfless and willing to donate towards something that can massively support regional students." 

"I will work hard and take every opportunity I get offered to make the most of this scholarship and my journey to become a chiropractor," she says. 

Every year the support of our community helps to fund scholarships like the one Cadence received, making a significant difference in helping capable and determined students to pursuing their dreams without fear of financial hardship.  

To learn more about how you can support regional scholarships or to donate, visit https://www.murdoch.edu.au/giving-to-murdoch/areas-to-support/country-to-campus-scholarship/.