Western Sydney University 2024 scholarship recipient announced

Western Sydney University has announced the recipient of the Frasers Property Australia's Master of Architecture (Urban Transformation) Scholarship for Women as Amanda Eessa. The $60,00 prize will support Eessa to complete the two-year graduate degree.

Eessa, who grew up and currently lives in Western Sydney, was also recently shortlisted in the student category of the New South Wales Pattern Book Design Competition. Continuing her involvement in local development, Eessa hopes to use the scholarship to focus her interests on public and community architecture, particularly in Sydney's west.

"I'm leaning towards public infrastructure and amenity that targets lower socio-economic areas. I want to focus on community-based design - designs that speak to various communities. There are lots of spaces that really need some love and good design," said Eessa.

Frasers Property Australia executive general manager development Emily Wood commented that the scholarship's aspirations were to ensure "architecture isn't just male-dominated" nor "seen as a career only available to those from blue chip private school pipelines."

Brian Falzon, dean of Western Sydney University's School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment observed that "For women studying architecture at Western, this scholarship has been transformative since its inception in 2020. It not only inspires our students at the School of Engineering, Design, and Built Environment, but also significantly alters the lives of its recipients."

Eessa is the third recipient of the scholarship, with the 2022 winner Maryann Aziz having graduated in June.