Why I Give Katrina Chipperfield

When Katrina Chipperfield (Bachelor of Arts, 1995; Master of Counselling, 2018) became one of the first members of her family to complete a university degree, she could not have imagined that one day she would help others achieve the same feat. “I am a really firm believer that education changes lives,” Katrina says. “My experience tells me that one person being educated at university leads to so many changes in their life – and their family’s – for so many different reasons, and regardless of what they do with their degree.”

For the past five years, Katrina has been a committed member of the Monash donor community via the Achieving Potential Scholarship program. “I really love that the money goes straight to students,” she says, “supporting people who have a real need.”

Katrina says she looked forward to her annual phone call from a student recipient benefiting from the scholarship program. That was when she got to hear about the student’s own experiences, as well as inspiring stories about others involved. “You had that personal touch and got to hear about people who had done something truly phenomenal, like a refugee who learned the language, got into an incredible course and went on to do amazing things.”

It also helps that previous roles as a school wellbeing officer have exposed her to the impact of Monash’s work behind the scenes. “I worked in a lower socio-economic school that Monash had a lot to do with, so I saw just how much time and effort they put into cultivating relationships with the school and students. They really fostered those links to make sure anyone who was interested in tertiary education could find it accessible,” she says. “Having had all that experience, I believed in the scholarship program before I really even knew about it.”

Monash is very much in this family’s DNA. It was while hanging out on campus during her undergraduate days that she met her husband Craig (Bachelor of Engineering, 1996; Bachelor of Laws, 1998), and they were instantly inspired by the opportunities on offer. “There was a great student life with a really great energy,” says Katrina. “There was the radio station and a really good student newspaper, and they always had great bands, so that was very much a part of it.”

Craig’s father Bruce also completed his Bachelor of Engineering at Monash, and his grandfather Ronald was a donor back in the 1960s and 70s. So, when it came to undertaking a Master’s after a break from study, there was only one place for Katrina to look. “I’d been a stay-at-home mum for a long time, but I felt very comfortable returning to Monash,” she says. “I thought it was a great course and there was a placement component to it, where I was actually offered a job.” This meant Katrina worked full-time while completing her course, which offered a cohesive transition and pathway back into the workforce.

And now the legacy continues in the form of the couple’s three children, Amelia (Bachelor of Engineering/Law, 2025), Eloise (Bachelor of Arts/Science, Third Year) and Scarlett (Bachelor of Arts/Media Communication, Second Year). “I love going back to campus now with my kids – and not just because the array of dining options is amazing! People seem to congregate more in their faculties, but then they do a lot more socially with things like balls, camps and other faculty-organised events, so it’s a different vibe.”

With such a long family history at Monash, donating to the Achieving Potential Scholarships is a no-brainer. “I think that if I was a recipient, I’d really appreciate that this is a place where people who went here actually value what I’m doing,” she says. “It’s really about creating that connection with the institution.”

Katrina donates annually to Achieving Potential Scholarships. Contact us to set up your regular monthly gift and discover how you can help transform the life of a promising student facing disadvantage: monash.edu/giving/support-students

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