“Fundraising is an incredible way to show support and give back to institutes doing incredible work to better the lives of Australians.”
Dyone Bettaga (Fr 2018) is a Taylor Scholar whose project has raised an incredible $13,436.50 for the Children’s Cancer Institute (www.ccia.org.au). Dyone, who is studying Medical Science at the University of Sydney, organised 86 students to take part in a 10km run in October to raise funds for this worthwhile cause. We met up with Dyone to find out more.
Why did you apply to become a Taylor Scholar?
Last year (2020) I had the idea of organising a team charity fundraiser for St Andrew’s residents. I initially thought I could organise the fundraiser as a Pastoral Care Leader initiative, but upon further investigation it became clear that the event would be too great of an undertaking without adequate staff support and resources. I then decided to apply to become a Taylor Scholar so that I could bring my project to life, start off with a bang and set the tone for the event to continue annually.
How did you choose your Taylor project?
I’ve always really enjoyed participating in fundraisers whether it be running, cycling or similar challenges. These not only provide me with a great sense of satisfaction after achieving my goal, but fundraising is an incredible way to show support and give back to institutes doing incredible work to better the lives of Australians. I wanted to share this hobby with the college community and simultaneously promote physical and mental wellness through exercise. Thus, Drew’s Charity Run (DCR) was born!
Why did you choose the Children’s Cancer Institute?
One of the key considerations of my project was to ensure the student body was responsible for selecting the charity we wanted to support. This was done through a vote and the charity with the majority votes (Children’s Cancer Institute) won!
How did you sign up 86 students?
In addition to giving the responsibility of selecting a charity to the student body, I wanted to incentivise sign-ups by cultivating a fun and tight-knit team culture whereby matching running singlets would be provided to each participant. Throughout the fundraising process, I aimed to emphasise that our individual fundraising efforts would culminate in a large collective donation to the Institute and would be celebrated with a barbeque after the run. To supplement this, I created some friendly competition within the team to encourage participants to support and challenge each other to see who could raise the most funds for the Institute. I awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes to the top three fundraisers. Truthfully though, the college community are always very keen to get behind events for a good cause (as evidenced by annual events such as ‘Easier Said than Run’ and ‘Sip for Sony’) so I didn’t have to badger too many people to sign up!
What other activities have you taken part in at College?
Over my four years I’ve taken part in Rosebowl sports including rowing, athletics, basketball and hockey and this year, I’ve joined the jazz band! I’ve also been very fortunate to access incredible academic support and tutorials with Dr Chris Roche (St Andrew’s College Head of STEM) who always has the best anatomy mnemonics and life advice. I have also been a Pastoral Care Leader since 2020 and I enjoy partaking in Senior Common Room activities.
Are you in receipt of any scholarships?
I am incredibly fortunate to have received four scholarships this year. The Taylor Scholarship as discussed, the Geoffrey White Scholarship for medicine, the Bill Caldwell Scholarship (all-round) and the University of Sydney/SAC Foundation Sport Scholarship. Each has supported me greatly in various endeavours and pushed me to continue to strive towards my goals.
Has St Andrew’s supported you to achieve your goals?
Absolutely. Without the staff, resources and general support and approval of my project, Drew’s Charity Run would not have come to fruition. I am so grateful that St Andrew’s provided me with a platform to kick-start my project and guided me along the way. I’ve learnt a lot about managing, encouraging, and leading a fundraising team as well as identified aspects that could be improved next year. However, the true satisfaction comes from hearing such positive feedback about the event from my peers and makes me really excited to see how the project grows in future years.
What’s the best thing about College?
Definitely the friendships. You could be having the best day and your friends are always around to hype you up or a terrible day where you’re trying to get a literature review finished before tomorrow and your friends are right there to put you in good spirits and cheer you on to the finish line. There are so many activities, opportunities and events ready to be accessed at college and so many long-lasting memories to be made.
