# One phone call to the vice-chancellor

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-curtin-vice-chancellor-nursing-scholarship
- Themes: kindness, grief, community, service
- Life situations: sudden bereavement, financial hardship, studying while grieving

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Many years ago a Sri Lankan nursing student at Curtin University lost her husband: working two jobs to pay the bills, he fell asleep driving home early one morning and was killed. The community's collection only covered her immediate needs. Ajahn Brahm, who knew the vice-chancellor (he recalls her as 'Theresa Hackit') from giving talks there, rang her directly. 'Thank you for letting me know... I trust you.' Within a short time the student was awarded a full scholarship; she graduated and became one of the top nurses in Perth, repaying the kindness by caring for others.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

There was a Sri Lankan woman and she would come here, not that often because she was very busy looking after two children. And her husband was actually working two jobs to get enough money, because the wife was actually doing a training in nursing at Curtin university. And unfortunately that one night, double job, not enough sleep, he crashed the car and killed himself. It was a tragedy, you know, just trying to work too hard. And the wife, the two kids, no way she could pay the tuition fees at Curtin. So, I got on the phone to the vice chancellor, Jeannette Hackett. She became a good friend. I confessed this that on one occasion, she was just retiring "Ajahn Brahm, I just loved my association with you" she said. She said "I'm going to give you a hug." You're not supposed to do that to a Buddhist monk but she was too fast for me. (laughter) It's only once. But anyway, I called her up I said "Look, this is real tragedy." She said "What is it?" And because they know you, you can actually get straight through

## Teaching point

Kindness and trust built over years let you help others; repay kindness by serving more.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

When a nursing student's husband died, Ajahn Brahm rang the university's vice-chancellor, who simply said leave it with me; a full scholarship followed and the student became a fine nurse. Powerful people like doing good too. Don't exploit them. Give them a chance to help, and they'll run with it.

## Source

- [Mindfulness and Kindfulness | Ajahn Brahm | 16 April 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXQEYulMi4I) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 59:13 to 1:00:41: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXQEYulMi4I&t=3553s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Growing from Difficult Times | Ajahn Brahm | 21 April 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXZHG7El0lU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 51:06 to 54:48: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXZHG7El0lU&t=3066s
- [Meditation, Kindness and Energy | Ajahn Brahm | 12 May 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MgnroF0hQI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 3:16 to 6:01: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MgnroF0hQI&t=196s
- [Meditation and Youth | Ajahn Brahm | 20 March 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPJAYGm_jwY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 32:36 to 34:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPJAYGm_jwY&t=1956s