Invested in veteran learning
Raytheon Australia awards academic scholarship to an ADF reservist
For the second consecutive year, Raytheon Australia has awarded a scholarship as part of the company’s collaboration with the University of South Australia’s Veterans’ Engagement and Education Program. The most recent scholarship recipient is a young member of the Australian Defence Force who is pursuing studies in Adelaide to further her engineering career.
The program is available to veterans, ADF members including reservists, and their immediate family members, as well as first responders. As part of Raytheon Australia’s ongoing commitment to this program, the company sponsored a $15,000 scholarship for an eligible student.
The 2022 recipient of the Raytheon Australia VEEP scholarship is third-year University of South Australia Engineering student Emma Viggers who early on decided that a pathway in the Australian Defence Force was for her.
“I have always looked for adventures and challenges in life and at age 17, I joined the Army Officer ADF Gap Year program where I had the best year of my life,” said Viggers.
In addition to her drive to pursue a career in the Army, Viggers also recognised at an early age that she was interested in engineering through active involvement in her school’s STEM excellence program. It was at age 15 when she went to the Kennedy Space Centre and Space Camp in the US that her desire to be an engineer was cemented.
“Having been a full-time officer in the Australian Army and now an active member of the Army Reserves, I appreciate the need for engineers,” Viggers said. “I love engineering and the various experiences that I can draw on providing a different perspective.”
After recently moving to Adelaide from Queensland and away from her family, Viggers is grateful for the support that the Raytheon Australia VEEP scholarship will provide.
“This scholarship will allow me to focus on my degree while also providing me with the freedom to travel to visit family in Australia,” she said.
Raytheon Australia Managing Director Michael Ward champions the company’s ongoing commitment to Australia’s veteran community and welcomes Viggers as this year’s scholarship recipient.
“The Raytheon Australia VEEP scholarship will support Emma through her studies as she continues to be an active member of the Army Reserves,” Ward said.
“Our veteran community has a depth of relevant skills and unique experience that can benefit the whole defence ecosystem, which is why we invest in programs like VEEP to support veterans as they develop their future career paths,” he said.
Matt Opie, director for Defence and Space at the University of South Australia, said “The University of South Australia is a leader in defence research and education and also supports our veterans. The Raytheon Australia scholarship is a good example of this support.”
Students currently enrolled at the University of South Australia are welcome to register for VEEP. The program can help balance their study with work and family commitments while responding to some of the unique challenges that may arise as a result of their service.
