As a child, Indigo Nowlan-Crisp used to visit her grandparents' farm at tiny Bimbi, north-west of Young. It sent her on a path towards a career in veterinary science. And now she is also the proud recipient of a Royal Agricultural Society scholarship.
Born and bred in Canberra, the former Orana Steiner School student knew from a young age that rural life was for her, despite growing up in the Belconnen suburb of Macquarie.
"My grandparents have a farm and I loved it out there," she said.
"And as I got older I would just go out there by myself. My school holidays were spent out there helping them with their sheep and pigs."
Indigo, a fifth-year student of veterinary science at Charles Sturt University at Wagga Wagga, has her sights set on becoming a dairy veterinarian.
She developed a passion for dairy medicine while working on a dairy farm just outside of Wagga during her studies, and hopes to continue working towards a career as a mixed practice veterinarian in a rural dairy community.
"I loved it there [on the dairy farm] and after my placement, they offered me a job. I worked with them for two years and would go milking before uni," she said.
The 23-year-old on Thursday was also announced as the recipient of a Royal Agricultural Society Foundation Rural Scholarship for 2026, an annual program that supports students committed to making a difference in rural and regional Australia.
Scholarships are available for up to $7000 for full-time students, or up to $3000 for those studying part-time.
The scholarships are made possible through the generosity of RAS Foundation donors such as the Snow Foundation, which provided Indigo's scholarship.
Indigo said the scholarship had been a "lifesaver" as she prepares to do her final-year placement on dairy farms in Victoria.
"I'm about to start that in mid-August on rotating three-week blocks so I'll have to find different accommodation every three weeks in a different town. And I'm going to do lots of driving," she said.
"The scholarship just helps so much. I spent the first instalment on a huge service for my car and getting new tyres and the second instalment will probably all be going into accommodation."
RAS Foundation manager Cecilia Logan said the scholarship program aimed to ease the financial pressures faced by students and enable them to focus on their studies and career aspirations.
"For many young people, pursuing tertiary education comes with significant financial challenges including the cost of tuition, relocating or travel, as well as daily living expenses. For students in rural and regional areas, those challenges are further amplified," Ms Logan said.
"We want to ensure that location isn't a barrier to opportunity for talented, hard-working students. This scholarship can provide the support and financial freedom they need to pursue their goals and ultimately make a positive impact in the communities that helped shape them."
Applications for the 2027 Rural Scholarships are now open and will close Monday, October 5. The program is open to students across NSW and the ACT who are enrolled or applying for study in an accredited tertiary course at an Australian university, college or TAFE. For further information, go to www.rasf.org.au
