Alex Cotter

(1st year Medicine/Surgery)
Melbourne, Victoria
The Campbell Scholarship

After completing the International Baccalaureate Diploma in 2006, Alex Cotter, 19, deferred her University entry and worked full time at a data consulting company in Melbourne for seven months. She used these earnings to  fund three months volunteering in Quito, Ecuador – where she taught English and worked in a school for disabled children – and two months walking the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu in Peru, and backpacking in Western Europe.

The experience has left her keen to further her involvement in overseas medical aid programs such as Medicins Sans Frontières and, as a rurally bonded medical student, she is also looking forward to working in rural Australia, despite having always lived in Melbourne.

Alex’s grandfather, Ralph Jones (TC 1945), had often told her ‘amazing stories’ of his days at Trinity, so she visited the College on Open Day. ‘I was impressed with the friendly, supportive community at Trinity and the emphasis placed on balancing academic achievement and extracurricular activities,’ she says.

‘Now, I’m really enjoying being a part of the Trinity community – everyone is so friendly and welcoming. There’s always something exciting to get involved in, and lots of opportunities to try new things. So far, I’ve been involved with the after-school tutoring program at Carlton Primary School through Outreach, and College athletics and rowing teams. Living at Trinity has also enabled me to play violin and viola in the Medical Students’ Orchestra and get involved in the Outlook program.’