Charles Sturt University (CSU) Bachelor of Veterinary Science student Ms Kerryn Illes has won a trip to South Africa to work in an animal orphanage as part of the AustralianSuper KickStart competition. The prize package also includes a four day elephant safari to Kruger National Park.
In her fourth year of study with the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Ms Illes has dedicated her spare time to volunteering for wildlife and animal rescue organisations such as WIRES. The CSU student from Sydney plans to use the AustralianSuper prize to travel to South Africa in November. She will be working at an animal sanctuary near the city of Benoni.
Ms Illes said, “I have a passion to pursue a career in captive wildlife, zoo and aquatic mammal medicine. Winning this competition enables me to work with
hand- reared African wildlife for two weeks. There are so few opportunities to undertake this type of volunteer work in Australia.
“I will also be doing additional veterinary science work while I am in South Africa.
“When I graduate from Charles Sturt University, I hope to work in a country mixed-animal practice, but am aiming to specialise in aquatic mammal and zoological medicine. I am an enthusiastic traveller, and will go wherever my career takes me.
“It is such a privilege to win a competition like this: not only will it be an experience of a lifetime, but it is helping me get one step closer to becoming a zoological veterinarian.
“This is something I have dreamt about since I was a child. It is so surreal to think that AustralianSuper has given me this opportunity.”
The Bachelor of Veterinary Science is a six-year program through the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga. Read more here.
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