The City of Parramatta Council, the Parramatta Eels, and the wider Western Sydney community have joined forces to recognise and support young women through the ‘Rising Women of Western Sydney Scholarship’, awarded to outstanding women in our local area.
The scholarship’s inaugural recipient, Kirstene Ciappara, alongside the 2026 winner, Elyse Sene-Lefao, recently spoke with Mark Henderson, known as “Hendo,” about what inspired them to apply and how the award is shaping their futures.
“I founded ESRC- Elyse Sene-Lefao’s Run Club in Western Sydney in 2023,” Sene-Lefao said.
“We now are at Emu Hall out in Penrith, and we run every fortnight on a Sunday.”
“We eventually take people to all the running races out in Sydney, so like your City2Surf, your Sydney Half Marathon.”
Reflecting on her own journey, Ciappara said the scholarship opened unexpected doors and accelerated her career.
“The doors opened with the eels and they were actually looking to launch an education initiative, which is what my background was. And so, I now oversee the Eels Institute, which is a 12-month program for young people who are passionate about sport and want to design a career in the industry,” said Ciappara.
Have a listen to the full interview with Mark Henderson below.