2019 Groom Scholarship winner is Nicole Haeusler

The 2019 Groom Scholarship winner is Nicole Haeusler, a third year Bachelor of Creative Arts (Theatre Studies) student at the University of Southern Queensland.

Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Paul Antonio announced the award at the Picnic Point Australia Day ceremony.

Mayor Antonio said Nicole is an outstanding winner who has been a leader in her community, particularly in educating young people in dramatic arts.

“Nicole is the type of role model we look at for those wanting to make our region a better place, Mayor Antonio said.

“While still a student, Nicole has passed on her knowledge and skills in the theatrical world as a volunteer teacher.

“It is her work with community groups, particular through the Empire Theatre that has really set Nicole apart.

“Nicole was heavily involved last year for the 2018 IMPACT Senior Youth Ensemble at the Empire Theatre. 

“In the role of the Assistant Director for the community-based production, Nicole researched current theories of decolonisation, power structures, privilege and thought leadership and applied the learnings to the production.

“Nicole also co-wrote the IMPACT Junior Ensemble’s original work ’10 George St.’, which explored a child’s experience of finding their place in the world.

 “As a volunteer with Dalby State High School, Nicole helped facilitate the Junior and Senior Drama Classes and introduced these groups to theatre training while exploring dramatic structures and scene structures.

Nicole has formed a strong partnership with the Empire Theatre that she says, “has projected her learning journey as a community artist at rocket-speed, far beyond what she thought was achievable as a second year student”.

Nicole acknowledges the generous support that she has received from those that have guided her along the way.

“My most recent work has been under the mentorship of Empire Theatre’s Youth Arts Director Ari Palani.

“Without this generous teaching, none of these opportunities and their proven value in my tertiary education would have been possible, and for that I’m very grateful.”

Mayor Antonio said the William Groom Scholarship is awarded each year to an outstanding student. Nicole Haeusler has excelled in the dramatic arts and has gone ‘above and beyond’ this by passing on that knowledge to the community.

Information about the William Groom Scholarship

The William Groom Scholarship has been awarded since 2004.  The $5000 scholarship honours the many achievements of the municipality’s first mayor William Henry Groom.

The scholarship is open to 18 - 24 year olds, who are commencing their second or third year of a full time USQ degree course or TAFE Queensland South West diploma. The Toowoomba Regional Council offers this scholarship as a way to acknowledge young students’ achievements to the local community. The scholarship provides $5,000 to the successful applicant.

Successful applicants must be able to demonstrate the following:

Sound academic achievement in all subjects attempted in the first and/or second year of their course. A record of community involvement in local organisations that may include sport, arts, cultural and charitable groups. Graduation from a local high school, having attended for two years and reside in the Toowoomba Regional Council area. Intention to continue in a full-time course of study next year.

Previous winners include engineers, business managers, nurses, musicians, journalists, solicitors, teachers, actors and student ambassadors.

For more information about the William Groom scholarship, visit Council’s website. 

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