Passionate about giving back to the community and inspiring future generations, Beulah created the inaugural Beulah Scholarship in partnership with the University of Melbourne back in 2019.
The Scholarship was open to both future and current students at Melbourne School of Design who were looking to major in or study a property course.
Below, we speak with the scholarship recipient Nina Bron, a vibrant 21-year-old Urban Planning student at the University of Melbourne School of Design. Nina was awarded the three-year scholarship in 2020 and is currently in her fourth year of her undergraduate degree, specialising in Transport Planning, and has recently completed a concurrent Diploma of Languages in French.
We recently spoke with Nina to learn more about the life-changing impact this opportunity had on her studies and personal life.
I was born to a Dutch father and Filipino mother, and raised in Melbourne’s outer-northern suburbs. I would say that this multicultural upbringing not only shaped much of who I am as a person but also influenced my chosen career path.
My parents both worked at the University of Melbourne during my childhood so I have fond memories of visiting the campus while they worked. By the time it came to choosing a university/course, practicality overtook nostalgia as the easy commute on public transport put the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus at the top of my list. Melbourne’s model allows you to undertake studies in areas unrelated to your degree which when combined with the international study opportunities offered, was highly appealing. When it came to the Melbourne School of Design specifically, I liked the collaborative aspect of planning students and different courses working together across different disciplines as this is how it works in the industry ie. property and architecture students working together.
At Melbourne School of Design where Nina enjoyed the collaborative aspect of her undergraduate course
Graduating from a public high school in the middle of the COVID-19 lockdowns in Melbourne was a pretty daunting time. It was the advice of my teachers to just keep applying for all kinds of scholarships. Their reassurance that the worst that could happen was a rejection email, combined with the thought of a large HECS debt looming over me in my early twenties, was what spurred me into action. I did intensive searching on the University of Melbourne’s scholarship website, and although many were/are available, almost none were offered to students in the Melbourne School of Design.
Seeing the Beulah Scholarship appear was like a needle in a haystack, I almost thought it wasn’t real! So many requirements applied to me and although I was anxious about applying, particularly as an essay determined the sole scholar, I knew an opportunity like this would not likely come again.
Seeing the Beulah Scholarship appear was like a needle in a haystack, I almost thought it wasn’t real!
It’s safe to say that receiving the Beulah Scholarship drastically changed my university experience and, in turn, much of my life. Before receiving the scholarship, I was contemplating studying part-time in order to work more and reduce my debt come graduation.
The funds awarded via the scholarship gave me the financial freedom to not only study full-time but also take on additional studies and experiences. I completed a Diploma in Languages (French), which took me to New Caledonia and France’s Loire Valley. I was able to reduce my hours as a receptionist and enjoy the wider parts of university life such as clubs and sports. I was the secretary of the TEDxUniMelb society and represented the University at the UniSport Nationals for soccer. The scholarship alleviated a great weight from my shoulders financially and allowed me to fully enjoy university life.
It’s safe to say that receiving the Beulah Scholarship drastically changed my university experience and, in turn, much of my life.
There were the broader financial challenges that were alleviated when I no longer needed to worry about a HECS debt (now known as HELP) but on a more granular scale, I didn’t have to worry about being able to afford payments for things such as printing credit or software programs. Socially, I worried about making friends and connections with my peers coming in and out of lockdowns during my first year. This was compounded by more irrational anxieties of making a friend, then when asked to hang out, having to decline because the last of the money in my account was for my Myki fare home.
This scholarship has allowed me to leave these concerns behind and live more freely. As a result of this, the friendships I’ve made at university have become so strong that they are not only my closest friends but they are now the foundations of my industry network.
Nina, pictured with her peers from the TEDxUniMelb Society, where she served as Secretary.
It’s been such a whirlwind few years, I have changed so much from when I was a 17-year-old anxiously writing my essay application for this scholarship and now I’m 21 and finishing the last semester of my degree. Some of my most memorable subjects have been those that subverted my own understanding of the built environment. I recently undertook a subject called Urban Morphological Mapping and it exposed me to the science of our public spaces. This subject opened my eyes to urban design and is something I intend to implement in my career. Additionally, being the secretary for the TEDxUniMelb society was one of the biggest learning curves in my university career and was a real foray into the deep end of the ‘softer skills’ you use in a career; learning to network, event organise and team management.
Some of my most memorable subjects have been those that subverted my own understanding of the built environment.
Nina representing the University of Melbourne at the UniSport Nationals for soccer
Gaining perspective has been one of the most valuable assets of my university career thus far. The building and planning industry is so broad and it can be easy to stick to the standards you’re familiar with and whatever is the norm. The environment at the University of Melbourne is so diverse, from its teachings to the student body and faculty. This culture provided me with an open and internationally minded approach to not only the field of building and planning but also life, which has made me a more tolerant person who can adapt and respond to change. A perspective I believe is crucial in almost every industry.
In 2025 I plan to start an honours year in Urban Planning at the University of Melbourne in preparation for an overseas masters program. I’ll be working in the industry simultaneously and still playing soccer for the University. I will hopefully be a part of a Master’s Program in 2026, which will be in the Netherlands, allowing me to connect with family and my father’s culture (and learn a new language). Working internationally for NGOs (non-governmental organisations) or nonprofits is a goal of mine but it is still very early days so I will just have to wait and see what the future holds!
The Beulah Foundation acts as a philanthropic extension of Beulah, building on the founders’ strong commitment of community investment and social impact.
Learn more about how Beulah Foundation inspires healthier, happier and inclusive communities here.
