Allison Taylor – in memory of a life so beautifully lived, by a woman so deeply loved

Allison Taylor was a devoted single mum, loving grandmother, admired friend and adored colleague at Curtin University for more than 15 years. She was a passionate advocate for women and believed in the power of education to enrich the mind and embolden the heart.

In 2004 Allison was diagnosed with breast cancer, a battle that she would fiercely fight until her passing on the 18 March 2022. In the weeks leading to her passing, Allison shared her one last wish to establish a scholarship at Curtin to empower single mothers.

Allison left school when she was in Year 10, as many women did during the 70s, thinking higher education was out of reach for her. However, she never lost her spark for curiosity, love of learning, or her genuine interest in understanding the world around her.

When Allison’s daughter Rachael was six years old, these qualities eventually set her on a path to attaining her undergraduate degree. As a single mum, Allison not only desired a secure future for her daughter, she also wanted to be a positive role model, showing Rachael that with commitment and tenacity, you could accomplish anything you set your mind to.

The more time Allison spent at university, the more driven and vocal she became, advocating for those who didn’t feel like they had a voice. A quality that everyone who knew Allison would agree she had in spades.

In 2004, while working full-time and caring for Rachael, Allison was diagnosed with breast cancer. During this time, Allison persisted with her own education and successfully attained her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.

“Studying was the hardest thing mum ever did,” Rachael said.

“Working, being a single mum and fighting breast cancer are manageable because you have no choice but to do them; they are a necessity. Studying on the other hand is optional. Mum could have thrown in the towel at any moment, but it was something she was wholeheartedly committed to.”

After completing her degree, Allison started her career as Executive Assistant to Curtin University’s Vice-Chancellor. Her profound impact on students and staff was felt across the University for over 15 years before she retired to spend her final years with her daughter and grandchildren.

Through her lived experience as a single mum and unwavering determination to make a difference, Allison dreamt of establishing a scholarship at Curtin to support single mothers. Her wish was to inspire those close to her and encourage the wider community to rally behind single mums. In her final weeks before her passing, she shared this wish with Rachael.

Being a single mother brings with it enormous financial strain, caring responsibilities, and work commitments, most of which is done alone. These pressures can also lead to reduced emotional wellbeing and mental ill-health and can result in professional opportunity costs for single mums.

These costs include diminished job prospects, missed promotions and the loss of peer connection, all impacting a single mum’s ability to achieve financial and emotional security.

A 2021 study found that single mothers are twice as likely to live in poverty than single fathers. In 2022 there were about 12,500 homeless single mums and children in Australia. Studies also found that kids with a parent who experienced poverty were more likely to experience poverty as a young adult themselves, perpetuating the cycle.

“The opportunity this scholarship provides would have made a significant difference to our lives when mum was a single parent; working, studying and battling breast cancer,” Rachael said.

“Knowing that other single mums and their families might not face the same struggles we did is incredibly meaningful. It brings some small comfort in the wake of losing mum.”

Research suggests that as higher education levels increase, poverty rates decrease as single mums with a bachelor’s degree or higher are 29% more likely to be employed than those without one.

“Now, as a single mum myself, I understand firsthand how transformative this scholarship can be for families. Especially as I reflect on the night of mum’s graduation and the feelings of immense pride I felt for her commitment to graduate, against all the odds,” Rachael said.

“The inspiring example mum set gave me the unwavering belief that if mum could go to university while facing so many hurdles, there was no question that I could do it too.

“My Bachelor of Nursing has awarded me many opportunities, but above all, it allows me to provide for my family, be the role model for my boys like my mum was for me and advance my career in nursing.

“This scholarship represents so much to me as Allison’s daughter. It is more than an opportunity to empower single mums. It’s a beautiful way to honour the memory of an amazing woman who gave so generously to others, and in doing so, her legacy can continue long after her passing.”

The 2023 Allison Taylor Single Mum Scholarship recipient, Jaala Smith finds the ethos of the scholarship particularly poignant and lovely. She has shared “The Scholarship is a beautiful legacy which I feel privileged to participate in… as both a single mother raising daughters of my own, and as a daughter who was raised by a single mother.”

Find out more about the Allison Taylor Single Mum Scholarship here.