Hi, my name is Billy Blackett.
I graduated Hutchins in 2019.
I first heard about the Hutchins scholarship program through my dad,
who got a phone call from the enrolments
team asking whether I’d be interested in applying for a scholarship.
At first I was quite nervous, mostly because I didn’t think I was the right
candidate. Reflecting back,
I know that Hutchins really isn’t looking for that model student.
They’re really just looking for a young person who will contribute
positively to the Hutchins community and someone who is of good character.
The process and applying stage of the scholarship
was a lot less daunting than I originally anticipated.
I went into the scholarship process with the idea that I would
just apply to see how I went and not too worried about the result.
I saw it as a great opportunity just to develop those skills of applying
and doing that interview,
and this took a lot of the stress out of applying for the scholarship in general.
So when I first began at Hutchins, it was an incredibly nerve wracking
first couple of weeks, and it was a giant leap out of my comfort zone.
But it wasn’t long before I was made to feel very welcome.
Looking back at my two years at Hutchins, I can honestly say that they were
incredibly life changing.
To have a school that rallied so deeply behind all of my endeavors
was fantastic, and I felt like that scholarship process
and going out of my comfort zone was a real springboard for me,
whether that be in academia or sport or music or community service.
It was wonderful to be in an environment that was so supportive and so genuine.
What’s truly remarkable about the Hutchins culture
and the Hutchins establishment is the post-graduation period, where
so many wonderful opportunities are brought upon you
just for being an Old Boy and that network and those career opportunities
and those people in your life is something that’s genuinely propelled me forward
and it’s something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.
All I can say to a young person thinking about applying for a scholarship
is just do it.
I’ll forever be an ambassador for The Hutchins School.
Hutchins well and truly changed my life.
And it could change yours, too.