Starfish Staff Giving supports students in financial need.
Around one in five UniSC students come from low income backgrounds and there are many who struggle to balance long work hours, study and family commitments. For some, the pressure is too much and they drop out without realising their full potential.
Starfish Staff Giving along with G-Day (UniSC's annual giving day) provides financial support through Study Support Bursaries to these students who might otherwise be unable to complete their degree.
Currently around 80 staff regularly contribute to supporting students in need. As our university continues to grow and students face various challenges, they need our help more than ever.
How you can help
Join the growing number of Starfish Staff Giving supporters by making regular donations through payroll deductions and help provide a lifeline for our students.
100% of your donation goes towards providing a Study Support Bursary to a student in financial need and any donation over $2 is tax deductible*.
*From 1st July 2020 all payroll deductions will be pre-tax. The tax advantage will be realised immediately in each pay period and you will not need to lodge a claim in your annual tax return.
For as little as $5 a fortnight, you will be making a real impact.
Why Starfish?
Starfish Staff Giving is about making a difference, one student at a time, a concept inspired by an original story by Loren Eisley.
"Walking along a beach one morning, a man noticed something unusual in the distance that piqued his curiosity. Someone was running back and forth near the receding shoreline doing what appeared to be an unusual dance.
Drawing closer, the man made out the figure of a small boy. He realised the boy was throwing starfish that had washed up on shore back into the ocean, one by one.
There were so many starfish on the shore, he said to the boy, "Why are you doing that? You can't possibly make a difference." The boy responded by throwing another starfish back into the ocean, and said, "Well sir, I made a difference to that one!"
The man was so moved, he joined the boy in his mission."