Dhunning - Indigenous Impact
'You don't need to be the loudest person in the room to be a leader’
University life is a journey – but it’s also a destination, and one that Tali Adams never expected to find herself at. When she decided not to get an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank), Tali assumed that also meant that university was out of the question.
“There’s so little information out there about getting into uni without an ATAR,” she says. "But it’s definitely possible!
“The road to uni isn’t always a straight line, but I think it’s important to know there are many paths. If you just have a goal you want to reach, you’ll find a way to get there. Just be open to different perspectives and opportunities – and persevere.”
Today, not only is Tali thriving as she pursues a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Canberra, she’s also part of the first cohort of Snow Scholars.
A future-focused partnership between Snow Foundation and the University of Canberra, the Snow Scholarship Program is one of the most generous undergraduate scholarships in the country. It is designed to cultivate and support leaders and innovators from underrepresented groups, who will go on to drive meaningful change.
For Tali, that means taking her skills and knowledge into remote Indigenous communities after graduation.
“As a First Nations Australian, it’s important to me to give back to Indigenous communities and peoples, and help to uplift our mob, to help give them a voice and make them feel heard and appreciated within the healthcare system,” she says.
“I am where I am because of my community, and they continue to inspire me to work hard.”
‘Home is anywhere my family is’
While she was born in Victoria, Tali and her family have lived in various parts of Australia.
“My dad’s in the Navy, so we moved to a new posting every two years or so when I was a kid,” Tali says.
Of all the places she’s called home, Tali spent the most time living in Cairns, Queensland, where she was able to truly connect to her Indigenous heritage.
“Dad often got posted up there – it’s where his family is from, where my Birri Gubba heritage comes from,” she says; Tali is also of Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage.
She valued the time she got to spend with her family in Cairns, widening and deepening her cultural knowledge and understanding – which she knows is a lifelong journey for her.
“All that moving around meant that my five siblings and I grew up really close. I’m the second of six kids in my family, and us three older girls especially were pretty shy – but we always had each other,” Tali says.
“The truth is, home is anywhere my family is.”
Today, home is Canberra – where Tali’s dad is attending the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), while her older sister studies at the Australian National University (ANU). And although Tali lives at UC’s on-campus accommodation like the rest of the Snow Scholars, she’s able to visit her family all the time – and very thankful for the opportunity.
Learning with purpose
“I moved to Canberra at the start of Year 11, and the education system here was very different,” Tali says.
“I was doing a school-based apprenticeship with Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA), and completed a Cert III in Allied Health Assistance at CIT as part of that – which meant I was only at school three days a week. Plus, I found it really challenging to build connections and make friends because everyone already had their own groups – so I sort of lost interest in school.”
The turning point came in Year 12, when Tali had a meeting with Student Engagement Adviser Adam Cavanagh and Maali Leon, the Senior Programs Officer at ACT IAHA Academy.
“We had a conversation about what it would look like if I dropped out of school – they said I wouldn’t be able to continue the apprenticeship if I did.”
Tali is a hands-on learner and excelled at the apprenticeship – becoming a finalist for the 2025 ACT Australian School Based Apprentice (ASBA) of the Year Award.
“I really enjoy the practical aspect of learning – it has always given purpose to my learning,” she says.
“We did a lot of role play, and I learned so much about the adjustments a client might need, but it also helped me to grow a lot in terms of courage. I always found it hard to go up to people and talk to them. The practical learning at CIT, and the placement that I did as part of my apprenticeship, helped me overcome that challenge.”
At her IAHA graduation, Tali was named Trainee of the Year, an award that recognises a trainee who demonstrates personal development and commitment, and demonstrates cultural responsiveness, dedication, strength and resilience.
The apprenticeship motivated Tali to stay in school, and she started exploring conversations about her future, knowing that she wanted to work in the occupational therapy space.
“Indigenous Allied Health Australia was a huge help – they really wanted to see me succeed. They set up appointments for me to talk to people at universities, and would accompany me for these meetings. I got into UC through an Indigenous Health Scholarship, administered by IAHA,” Tali says.
The scholarship gave her a direct entry pathway into an Allied Health undergraduate degree.
“I’m really enjoying doing the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy,” Tali says. “It’s very interesting, and closely related to my apprenticeship, which has helped build and reinforce my foundational learning.
“It’s also a lot more work than I’ve ever done before! But I want to get the most out of it, so I’m happy to put the effort in.”
Growing together
Tali is softly spoken, but says she has grown in her ability to reach out and connect with people.
“I’m obviously still quite shy, but whereas going up to someone I didn’t know to start a conversation would once have seemed like the end of the world for me, now I can shift my mindset to: ‘well, what if this is an opportunity?’,” she says.
“I'm never going to be an extrovert – but you don't need to be the loudest person in the room to be a leader.”
To her, leadership is about inspiring others.
“We’re all human, all on our own journeys,” she says. “Understanding that is key. It helps to find a way to relate to other people, to help and maybe inspire them. Leadership is about having the right mindset, not just thinking you’re ‘better’.”
Tali also recognises the value of a strong support system.
“With a lot of the things I’ve achieved in life – like getting into uni – much credit goes to the support of the people around me,” she says. “My parents were always super supportive, and Maali, Dylan and Darby at IAHA were always very proactive about helping me to get to where I wanted to go.”
Tali counts herself fortunate to also be part of the close-knit cohort of Snow Scholars, with Snow Scholarship Program Manager Claire Toepfer “always there for us, whenever we need her”.
“The Snow Scholars have built a pretty strong group dynamic – we hang out quite often, help each other study, and are just there for one another,” she says.
“It’s good to be surrounded by people who understand whatever you’re going through, and who you can lean on when needed.
“The support that we receive through the Snow Scholarship allows me to concentrate on what really matters – family, study, and having the best university experience I can.”
Words by Suzanne Lazaroo, photos by Chris Walsh and provided.
Planning to start uni in Semester One, 2027? Applications for the next round of Snow Scholarships are open until 12 July. Find out more at the Snow Scholarships web page.