ICMS Scholarship Ignites International Dreams for Isabella Webster

For Isabella Webster, the idea of starting full time studies in event management in Sydney seemed a monumental challenge until right before Christmas last year.

Coupled with its reputation and success in producing management graduates, she had dreams of enrolling at the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) and one day running an international event management company.

Her dream stemmed from her experiences as a dancer, having studied dance since she was four years old, and seen her perform at an array of different events over many years, from the NSW Schools Spectacular to the high seas performing on cruise ships.

After she volunteered at Australian Fashion Week, the pinnacle of an Australian event with international status, her ambitions were confirmed. But like many regional students, there was a big barrier standing in her way of her dreams – financial costs.

The cost of relocating from Orange to Manly, where ICMS is located, combined with ongoing living and study expenses, forced her to plan a gap year in 2024. She planned to stay home in Orange and work full time to save enough money to start her studies in 2025.

However, while on a well-deserved holiday to the USA, she was offered the best Christmas present she could ask for; being the recipient of the ICMS – CEF scholarship for 2024.

The scholarship covers one-third of Isabella’s accommodation fees for her first year of study and gives her a significant credit towards her tuition fees.

She said it had helped kickstart her studies and get her well on her way to realising her dreams.

“The first trimester was amazing. It’s a small university with a strong community which has meant is has been easy to get to know my peers, and my teachers know me by name,” she said.

Chair – ICMS Scholarships, Ann Whitelock, said the innovative work-integrated learning programs and its blend of theory and practical experience would set Isabella up for success.

“For Isabella, aspiring to lead an international management company, ICMS offers a dynamic environment where she can not only acquire essential theoretical knowledge but also gain invaluable real-world insights and connections that will be pivotal in realising her ambitions,” she said.

ICMS has partnered with CEF since 2022 and Isabella is the third student supported by the scholarship.

Ann said its partnership with CEF was imperative in improving accessibility to higher education for students from regional and rural areas.

“At the core of our mission lies the commitment to ‘educating students for personal success in their professional lives’, a vision that harmonises seamlessly with CEF’s belief that education changes lives,” she said.