Caylan (SCG Class of 2027) has been awarded a place in the University of Melbourne’s prestigious Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program. The two-year program recognises outstanding academic achievement and leadership potential across students who are in the top 5% in their year level.
Caylan is the newest member in an esteemed group of Southern Cross Grammar Alumni who have excelled as Scholars. Among them is his sister, Carmen (SCG Class of 2025), whose experience inspired him to apply.
Reflecting on her influence, Caylan shared, “Having completed the Kwong Lee Down program herself, [my sister] often described how profoundly it shaped her academic direction, broadened her worldview, and helped her form lasting connections with driven and like-minded students.”
As a Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholar, Caylan will join a community of ambitious high-achieving students from across Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia in experiencing university life and participating in academic events and enrichment activities as they transition to tertiary education whilst completing Year 11 and 12.
Opportunities include access to the University’s extensive library network, overseas scholarship pathways, invitations to personal development workshops, and VCE Unit 3/4 revision lectures —all aimed to set Scholars for success in their senior years of secondary study and beyond.
As a Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholar, Caylan will join a community of ambitious high-achieving students from across Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia in experiencing university life and participating in academic events and enrichment activities as they transition to tertiary education whilst completing Year 11 and 12.
Looking ahead, Caylan hopes the program will help him explore future disciplines and gain clarity on his strengths and interests as he works towards shaping his future.
“I am eager to participate in enrichment activities that push me beyond the boundaries of my current learning,” he said. “I’m particularly looking forward to connecting with peers and mentors who can broaden my perspective and encourage me to grow. I see the program as an opportunity not only to strengthen my academic foundation but also to refine the type of person and learner I aspire to become,” he said.
At Southern Cross Grammar we pride ourselves in the high calibre of staff who inspire and guide our students daily to success. Caylan’s credits his teachers for their support in motivating him to aspire for success, saying, “My teachers have been instrumental in helping me reach my potential. Their consistent support, high expectations, and genuine belief in my abilities have pushed me to extend myself and strive for excellence.”
Deputy Principal Ms Emma Kannar said, “Caylan exemplifies the qualities celebrated by the Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program - a strong commitment to academic excellence, balanced with a genuine contribution to the life of our school and the wider community. His dedication, curiosity, and leadership reflect the values we strive to nurture at SCG, and we are incredibly proud of his achievement.”
We congratulate Caylan on this remarkable milestone and look forward to the impact it will have on him in his final year of secondary schooling and through university life and beyond.
