Living a life of service, one phone call at a time
Article by Amanda Hanna | Matheson Society newsletter
Joseph Cercone is no stranger to the life-changing impact of a scholarship.
The Bachelor of Arts/Laws (Honours) student is proud of his work at the Alumni Outreach Centre, which engages past Monash students wanting to give back. One conversation with a Monash alum lasted over two hours and led to one of the largest bequests left to Monash. Joseph says, “Often, after a day's work, you've been able to help provide the equivalent support of an entire scholarship. The ability to change not only a student's life, but also that of their family, is truly an incredible feeling.”
As a Community Leader Scholarship recipient, Joseph believes in paying it forward by regularly donating to, among other causes, the Achieving Potential Humanitarian Scholarship Program. He draws inspiration from its recipients, who have defied the odds to forge new lives through study.
Joseph hopes to one day see himself working in politics or policy-making and continue breaking down barriers to higher education access, just as his parents changed their life course by becoming the first in their immigrant Italian families to study at university.
For Joseph, “Life, in addition to how you live it, is about the impact you leave behind.”
It’s clear that Joseph’s impact is already opening doors to hopeful futures for many promising students.