It has been 21 years since news broke that the resort town of Kuta in Bali had been bombed by terrorists. Among the 88 Australians who tragically lost their lives was La Trobe University alumna Andrea Hore from Albury.
One year on from the atrocity, four of Andrea’s dearest friends and the wider community came together to raise funds and establish a La Trobe University bursary in her name.
The , now in its 20th year, was created to honour Andrea’s memory and leave a lasting legacy.
“We want to remember Andrea for who she was, what she did and the beautiful person she was,” Andrea’s close friend, Narelle Robinson, said.
“Andrea was part of La Trobe, she studied here and did really well.”
Andrea was studying a Bachelor of Business (Enterprise Development) as a part-time mature-age student at the Albury-Wodonga campus where she met Narelle in 1991.
Andrea graduated from La Trobe in 1996 and worked at Wodonga’s then Uncle Ben’s factory (now Mars Petcare) before tragedy struck on 12 October 2002.
Childhood and close friend Brendan Maher remembers Andrea as a “vivacious, fun loving and generous” woman.
“She grew up to become a leader, so the Bursary was about honouring and leaving her legacy behind after what she had done for the community, including here at La Trobe and her work at Mars,” Brendan said.
“Andrea was a beautiful community member and so it was important on this occasion to do something for future people.”
Since its inception, the Bursary has awarded about $40,000 to support 20 business school students at the Albury-Wodonga campus.
“Andrea would be remembered by the people who have been recipients of the bursary, which has helped students’ progress and develop their future careers,” Brendan said.
Darcy Bishop was awarded the scholarship in 2016 during his Bachelor of Business (Management and Marketing) degree, for maintaining high marks and his work in assisting start-up businesses with their marketing strategies.
“Being a mature-aged student, from quite a low socio-economic background with very little support, I faced the challenges of balancing work and studies so I could sustain myself financially,” Darcy said.
“The Bursary came at a crucial time for me. It alleviated a lot of that financial stress, enabling me to devote more time to my studies, which enhanced my understanding and, ultimately, excel in my course.”
Darcy became the first member in his family to attend and graduate from university.
Following a stint in full-time work as a brand manager at a local beef manufacturer, Darcy returned to La Trobe to follow his passion and further his education in a .
Several past recipients are still living, working and contributing to the Border community in the business sector.
The endowment has more than doubled its value since 2003 under the stewardship of the La Trobe Foundation, enabling continued student support in Andrea’s memory.
Albury-Wodonga Head of Campus Dr Guinever Threlkeld said Andrea’s name will continue to carry on and support the next generation of leaders.
“La Trobe was proud to be chosen as the home for a fitting memorial to Andrea,” Dr Threlkeld said.
“Over the past two decades the University has endeavoured to ensure each recipient knows how much Andrea meant to the community and that someone thought ahead to help them further their careers.
“The Andrea Hore Memorial Bursary strengthens the investment in student support at La Trobe’s Albury-Wodonga campus and the achievements of local students.”
The Bursary is awarded annually to a hard-working student who has made a demonstrable and positive contribution towards sporting, cultural or community life either within La Trobe University or the Albury-Wodonga region.
The Andrea Hore Memorial Bursary highlights the impact can have over time.
“I think the awareness of what happened has faded but this could happen to anyone, and life is worth living and that’s exactly what Andrea did,” Narelle said.
“To be able to share with current students at La Trobe what she did and now what’s happening in her memory, I think there’s a flow-on effect, so we don’t forget.”
