When Shakhram (Shak) Rakhmatullaev (OM 2023) fulfilled his dream of entry to the University of Melbourne this year, his parents’ pride was palpable.
“My mother and father came from Uzbekistan with nothing to their names and worked so hard for me and my siblings,” Shak says of his parents, who migrated to Australia in the years following the Soviet Union’s collapse.
Shak was the recipient of the Parncutt Family Scholarship.
“Getting a scholarship to an amazing school was an emotional moment for them and I was so excited to get the opportunity.”
Only a scholarship made a Melbourne Grammar School education possible.
Thanks to that scholarship, Shak enjoyed experiences and activities that have had a profound impact on his life. However, it has been Shak’s strong commitment to inclusion that has led to his wonderful legacy at Melbourne Grammar.
“One of the activities I most enjoyed at the School was being the inaugural Chair of the Across Boundaries Committee,” he says.
“This student led committee celebrates diversity and multiculturalism both in Melbourne Grammar and, of course, beyond.”
“I hope our actions have led to all students having a stronger sense of a shared culture that will continue on well beyond the present moment.”
Shak recognises that the Parncutt Family Scholarship is important because it introduces diversity into the School.
“Having a diverse student body means that a range of different views and opinions are heard across the School, and such discussions foster connections.”
Last year Shak met Bruce Parncutt AO (OM 1968), whose generosity in establishing the scholarship was inspired by the desire to provide talented students from diverse backgrounds with an opportunity to succeed and realise their potential.
Reflecting on his experience, Shak aspires to one day provide a similar opportunity to young people in challenging circumstances.
“Ultimately, scholarships stand for dignity and respect – values that I believe are paramount at Melbourne Grammar.”