Monash raises $85,000 to support Refugees and Asylum Seekers

This year the incredible Monash fundraising team has raised over $85,000 to support Asylum Seekers and Refugees to study at Monash University in 2020.

Most of this money has been raised through the efforts of student, staff and alumni fundraisers participating in two of Melbourne’s biggest Fun Runs for the year; Run Melbourne and Melbourne Marathon Festival.

Hundreds of people in the Monash community took to the streets for these events, and some even beat thousands to win their respective event categories.

This campaign was a combined initiative of TeamMONASH and External Relations, Development and Alumni, and the money raised will cover two years of an Asylum Seeker’s tuition fees at Monash University, as well as a $5000 stipend for both those years. 

Find out more about how each of these events went down: 

Run Melbourne

Over 320 Monash students, staff and alumni took to the Melbourne CBD streets on July 28 for Run Melbourne, raising more than $55,000 for Asylum Seeker Scholarships at the University.

In a combined TeamMONASH and External Relations, Development and Alumni initiative, Monash’s collective fundraising efforts ranked the University fourth out of 264 teams raising money for various causes at the event.

The events at Run Melbourne had a staggered start time,

but all three courses culminated at the combined finish

line on the Yarra River. 

Melbourne weather (surprisingly!) pulled through with some ideal running conditions; clear skies, sunny, and no wind. This worked favourably for two Monash students, who beat thousands of people to take out the win in their respective events.

Biomedical Science Student Emilie Guy placed first out of over 3100 women competing in the 10k event, completing the course in an incredible 36 minutes and 16 seconds.

Michael Kernahan, a science student and like Emilie, also a member of TeamMONASH’s Elite Student Performer Scheme, won the 5k run with a time of 15 minutes 42 seconds.

The scenic course looped around iconic Melbourne landmarks such as the MCG, Federation Square, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, with participants given the choice to compete in the 5k, 10k or Half Marathon events, or the 4km ‘Friendship dash’ which was held the day before the main event.

Nester first got involved with TeamMONASH

when he came to the University to do an

English Bridging Course to study a

Masters of Counselling. 

Monash Alumni Nestor Alejandro Ochoa managed to complete a gruelling personal challenge: running the Half Marathon, 10k and 5k events back to back, taking just 15-30 minutes to rest between each event.

If this wasn't enough, Nestor also managed to run a personal best in the Half Marathon in the impressive time of one hour and 25 minutes. He said the decision to run the 'trifecta' was an "awesome and crazy challenge".

"The hardest part of the whole morning was following the nutrition and hydration plan that was made before, because due to the lack of time, I had to eat as quickly as possible and my body was not really accepting any food, I had to force myself to eat to avoid having any physical issues during the event," he said.

"The change from the 10km to 5km was really tough, I already had 31 kilometres on me and stopping was not really good for my body. I considered stopping there, but being so close to the end was really motivating."

Monash 'cheer squads' were strategically positioned along the course to provide support and encouragement to the runners, who also had access to TeamMONASH's free marquee cloakroom, snacks and drinks. 

Monash med student Jacob Pope said he was ecstatic to complete his first half marathon.

“I didn’t think I was going to be able to do it, and I was quite nervous about it,” he said.

Multiple roads were closed around the city to facilitate 

more than 22,000 runners who took to the streets

for the event. 

“It was a big challenge, especially in the last five kilometres it started to get really difficult, but the atmosphere and the good vibes saw me through in the end, and I had a great time.”

Run Melbourne began 12 years ago, and since then over 200,000 runners have pounded the pavement at the annual event, clocking a combined distance of almost eight laps around the world.

This year 13 different groups within TeamMONASH implemented their own fundraising campaigns for the event. Monash External Relations, Development & Alumni team raised the most donations for Asylum Seeker Scholarships, followed by Mannix College and the Monash Law Students’ Society.

Monash Giving Programs Officer Ian Grimwood said the fundraising effort was a “huge success”.

“Asylum Seekers pay full international fees for their education, so that’s $35,000 a year and they don’t get any government support while they’re studying. So I think it’s important for Monash, as a place that values education for all, to be fundraising at events like this,” Ian said.

Ian Grimwood pictured in pink! 

“We had people from all over the university taking part, so being there and seeing that was really special.”

Over a thousand people donated to the cause. Monash is hoping to raise another $45,000 for Scholarships by the end of the year.

Sam Robinson, in his second year of medicine at Monash, was involved with the fundraising team at Mannix College, a Monash affiliated residential college. Sam ran in the 10km event, and said Asylum Seeker Scholarships were about giving everyone a “fair chance”.

“I think as a college community, and as a Monash community, we all decided we wanted to try and make an impact on those less fortunate and who are not necessarily afforded the same opportunities as us,” he said.

“It was a really good atmosphere [at the run], and particularly towards the end that really helped you across the line. And all the Monash people, even the ones you didn’t know, were really supportive during the run, which was great.”

Melbourne Marathon Festival 

There were no sub two hour marathons in Melbourne on October 13, but TeamMONASH certainly impressed at the 42^nd Melbourne Marathon Festival, raising $25,000 for Asylum Seeker scholarships at this event alone.

Over 250 Monash students, staff and alumni took to the streets of Melbourne for the annual event, including 100 fundraisers who have helped bring Monash’s total money raised for Asylum Seeker scholarships in 2019 to over $85,000.

Runners were spurred on by volunteer Monash cheer

teams positioned at various locations along the course.

The Melbourne event was Australia’s largest ever marathon, with 37,185 people taking part. Monash students also represented the university competitively at the event, as the marathon was the official 2019 Unisport Nationals competition.

The race started by the Yarra River in Melbourne’s CBD. Marathon runners completed a scenic loop of Albert Park, running out to St Kilda before returning into the CBD to join all other event participants in a lap of the MCG.

Monash student Declan Dempster finished his first marathon yesterday, and personally raised over $650 for the cause by calling on donors to sponsor him to wear Richmond Football Club merchandise during the run.

Declan said he hit the wall between the 32 and 40km mark of the run, but was spurred on by the four hour pacers, and inspired by the run into the MCG to the finish line.

“I kind of wanted to cry, just because I was so exhausted and I was just so happy to see the finish,” Declan said.

“There were so many people watching, it was quite cool and so loud.”

Declan (right) said he was motivated to 

complete the marathon and raise funds for

Asylum Seeker scholarships after 

participating in Run Melbourne in July.

The Melbourne Marathon Festival has events for all abilities, with Monash students participating in the full marathon, half marathon, 10km and 5km events.

The sunny 22 degree day made for pleasant running conditions despite the early morning start.

Monash’s Giving Programs Officer Ian Grimwood said over 3000 people donated to Monash’s 2019 fundraising campaign at Run Melbourne and the Melbourne Marathon Festival, driving the team’s success.

“That’s a massive show of support for the scholarships, and it really helps to send a message to the University and to the wider public that this is really important to Monash University’s community,” Ian said.

“The highlight is always seeing people who have put in so much hard work to fundraise and train enjoying themselves out on the day and really celebrating a big win.” 

Kenyans Isaac Birir and Naomi Jepkogei Maiyo each took away $20,000 in prize money as the male and female winners of the marathon. Birir finished the race in a time of 2:16.31, and Maiyo followed with a time of 2:35.34.

Five dedicated runners completed the Melbourne Marathon for the 42^nd consecutive year, and participants at the event ranged in age from 18 to 87 years. 

Feeling inspired?! Sign up now for Run Melbourne 2020! 

Written by Nell O’Shea Carre, Media Coordinator.