Two Bond University alumni have been honoured among the elite list of 2016 John Monash Scholars announced in Sydney.
Law/International Relations alumna Katherine Mansted and Law/International Business alumnus Stephen Dietz were chosen from a record number of applications for the prestigious scholarships which enable the recipients to pursue postgraduate studies at their choice of the world’s best universities.
Widely regarded as one of the most important postgraduate scholarships currently available in Australia, the John Monash Scholarships are awarded to outstanding Australians with demonstrated leadership skills who are studying or working in areas of potential benefit to Australia.
The 2016 Scholarship offering attracted a record number of applications from all over Australia, with the winners presented at a gala Sydney Opera House event where Bond University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tim Brailsford was among the attendees that included His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d) Governor of New South Wales and The Honourable Michael Baird MP, Premier of New South Wales.
“It was a privilege to see two Bond alumni among the 17 scholarship recipients selected from outstanding applicants from all over Australia,” said Professor Brailsford.
“In recent years, Bond University has been extremely well represented at these prestigious ceremonies, with four of our alumni named as John Monash Scholars in the past four years.
“It is particularly satisfying to see how their careers have progressed since graduating from Bond and that the seeds of leadership potential planted during their university years are now flourishing.”
Former Somerset College Gold Coast student, Katherine Mansted will use her scholarship to further her studies into technology-driven markets such as the new sharing economy.
Since graduating as valedictorian of Bond’s Class of 2011, Ms Mansted has won numerous accolades, including the Una Prentice Award which recognises the academic excellence of women in Queensland’s law schools and the Sybil AM Vise Graduate Achievement Award for Queensland women who excel in the fields of education and community affairs.
Starting with her appointment as an associate to The Honourable Justice Kiefel AC QC of the High Court of Australia, she has established a successful career in financial and corporate advisory law and currently works as a policy advisor for the Minister for Resources, Energy and Northern Australia, The Honourable Josh Frydenberg MP.
Ms Mansted is also a classically trained violinist, a self-taught pianist and has a strong interest in languages.
Stephen Dietz graduated from Bond in 2008 and has gone on to establish a global career with the Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation in Geneva and, most recently, with the Office of Trade Negotiations at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
He has taken leave from the Department to serve as a Congressional Fellow with the American Political Science Association and as a Visiting Researcher and Senior Fellow at the Institute of International Economic Law at Georgetown University in Washington DC.
Through his intended further studies in international economic law and policy, Mr Dietz hopes to enhance Australia’s position with respect to finance policy and trade in services.
Ms Mansted and Mr Dietz follow in the footsteps of fellow Bond alumni Kate Mitchell who in 2013, became the first Bond graduate to be named a John Monash Scholar, and Bridget Healy who was awarded a John Monash Scholarship in 2014.