Receiving the Garth Barnett Prize was an honour and an encouraging moment in my academic journey. It provided meaningful motivation to focus on my studies, explore knowledge in the field, and offered essential financial support as I began further study. The recognition boosted my confidence and inspired me to continue pursuing academic excellence, such as progressing into the Honours program, and I am currently studying a Master of Architecture at UTS. The opportunity to receive feedback on my portfolio was invaluable, as it helped me refine my skills and direction. I’ve also had the chance to attend networking events, where I connected with professionals and gained insights that helped shape my career aspirations. I am truly grateful for the support and encouragement this prize has provided, and I hope it continues to empower and inspire future Interior Architecture students as they pursue their own academic and professional goals.

I am thrilled to announce that I have officially graduated from UTS with a Bachelor of Design in Interior Architecture! I am deeply honoured to be the 2024 winner of the certificate of the prestigious Garth Barnett Prise for design excellence, awarded to a student with an exceptional portfolio in interior design. I am incredibly proud of my unwavering dedication and relentless efforts throughout this journey. I have immense gratitude to my teachers, friends, and especially my family and loved ones, whose support, inspiration, and encouragement have been instrumental in paving the way for everything I have achieved today. They have continuously motivated me and created opportunities for my growth. As I celebrate this milestone, I am more determined than ever to strive for greater accomplishments in the future, always keeping the flame of passion alive. Here’s to embracing new challenges and pursuing excellence every step of the way!

When I received the Garth Barnett Prize, I remember smiling the whole day. It felt like my hard work finally spoke for itself. It was not just a prize but a quiet and powerful encouragement that made me pause and believe in my path. With the support, I explored new design tools, improved my English, and reignited my passion for learning. I began to see each small effort as part of something bigger, and it changed the way I approached my goals. This recognition helped me realise that learning does not have to be loud or impressive. Sometimes, it lives in small and steady steps. And this prize made each of those steps feel meaningful.

Winning the Garth Barnett Prize gave me the chance to travel through Europe and reconnect with the design influences that originally sparked my passion. I visited cities like Rome, Milan, Paris, Berlin, and Amsterdam, each offering its own perspective on architecture, style, and how people live with design. Seeing everything from historic buildings to contemporary spaces in real life helped me move beyond theory and develop a more grounded, personal understanding of interiors. It was a chance to explore, observe, and be creatively recharged. I’m incredibly grateful for the support that made the trip possible, it’s an experience that continues to shape how I approach design today.

Garth Barnett was someone whose work I had always admired and so to be a recipient of this Prize meant a lot to me on a personal level. It was an honour to be selected for such an acclaimed award. On a professional level, it instilled in me, confidence in my own ability to push myself further within my career. Inspired by Garth’s own design journey, I ventured to London in 2023, where I was able to work within the field for 6 months; broadening my own understanding and experience of the world of architecture and design on an international scale. I am incredibly grateful to Garth for having the vision to expand his success and passion for design onwards to the younger generation of creatives, to Sue Quinn, Susan Vass, Bassam Aflak and UTS for this opportunity, and for Garth’s friends who have journeyed to be here today. I will endeavour to make him and all proud and I hope to one day be able to support future students the way Garth has.

The Garth Barnett Scholarship didn’t just support my studies—it anchored my growth. It gave me the confidence to pursue ideas that felt bold and meaningful. To think critically about what makes a space not just functional or beautiful, but deeply resonant.

During my time at UTS, I became fascinated by how cultural nuance and spatial logic shape the way people inhabit the world. That interest took a powerful turn during a study tour to Japan—supported in part by the Garth Barnett Prize for Excellence in Design. There, I immersed myself in the binary rhythm of public, private, and in-between spaces across Japan’s cities, temples, art islands, and residential streets. Experiencing the Japanese urban condition firsthand revealed the silent choreography of design—how space can frame a moment, evoke pause, or invite memory.

Returning to Sydney, that sense of intentionality stayed with me. I began my career at a small design office where I was able to understand the intimate layers of residential design. After a year of grounding, I joined Woods Bagot in Sydney, where I now focus on hospitality and hotel interiors. Our team works on projects that span the globe, yet the heart of my practice remains the same: creating spaces that hold meaning, respect context, and elevate the everyday.

I feel proud to be part of an industry that is constantly evolving, and grateful to be supported by a legacy that values both excellence and generosity. The Garth Barnett Scholarship helped make space for me to explore the kind of designer I wanted to become—and for that, I’m endlessly thankful.

Receiving the Garth Barnett Scholarship has had a profound impact on both my academic and personal journey. As a student of architecture, this support has not only eased the financial burden of my studies but also served as an incredible encouragement to pursue creative excellence. Knowing that this scholarship honours someone who valued design and left a lasting legacy inspires me daily.

I am currently completing my Master of Architecture at UTS, and I hope to continue working on projects that bridge cultural heritage, sustainability, and community-driven design. This scholarship has reminded me that generosity can shape futures, and I’m truly grateful to be part of that story.

Since receiving the Garth Barnett scholarship, I have had the confidence to pursue new opportunities within both my studies and the interior design field.

In the semester following my receiving the scholarship, I was invited to participate in a peer mentoring program to help first-year interior architecture students with their studio projects. The scholarship gave me the confidence to pursue this opportunity, which led to me learning how to give feedback to students that allows them to develop their projects further.

Additionally, I had the confidence to create my first portfolio of my university work and send this out to architecture and interior design firms. This led to my success in obtaining the role of Student of Interior Design at PTW Architects. This role is an opportunity to learn about the field beyond my studies and to learn from industry professionals who have a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Ultimately, receiving this scholarship prompted me to seek out every opportunity available to me and understand that as long as I am learning and seeking opportunities in this industry, I will be succeeding by my own measure of success.

The process of designing buildings has always been fascinating to me. Wanting to play an active role in said process, I decided to study Architecture at UTS. I was quite overwhelmed by the disruption brought about by the pandemic which occurred shortly after commencing my studies. There were times where I was considering dropping out of the course altogether.

When I was awarded the Garth Barnett Scholarship however, it was like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Not having to worry so much about the financial burdens placed upon me made it so much easier to just focus on my work. I was able to find the motivation to give it my all with every assessment, which in turn has improved the quality of the work I have been able to produce at UTS. Now that I have successfully completed my studies, my current aspirations for the future include pursuing a career in the field of Architecture and eventually becoming an Architect myself.

As a refugee who has faced countless challenges in the pursuit of safety, stability, and survival, Garth Barnett scholarship has been truly life-changing.

It became the foundation that allowed me to focus wholeheartedly on my education, through navigating the demands of a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, while also learning the English language without the constant weight of uncertainty on my shoulders.

When I first applied for architecture, I often lay awake at night questioning if I had made the right decision. I was scared, scared of whether I would have the means to continue this path. But despite the fear, I held onto faith. And if I could describe what this scholarship has meant to me in just two words, it would be: answered prayer.

By the grace of God, I completed my Bachelor’s degree with a strong GPA, which opened the door for me to continue into the Master’s of Architecture program. I accepted the offer, and today, I’m deeply grateful to be in the final year of my Master in Architecture. I aspire to continue this path, as I have fallen deeply in love with architecture. May Garth Barnett’s legacy continue to shine through every student life they have changed.