Thirty new veterinarians meeting the needs of rural and regional Australia are among the highlights of graduation at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga from Wednesday 31 March to Friday 1 April.
Six graduation ceremonies are expected to attract 1 176 graduates from the faculties of Arts, Business, Education and Science. The graduates will receive their testamurs from the University’s Chancellor Mr Lawrie Willett, AO in Joyes Hall at CSU in Wagga Wagga.
One of the new veterinarians working in rural Australia is Dr Lyndal Porritt from the village of Adelong near the Snowy Mountains in southern NSW. Since taking the Veterinarian’s Oath in August 2010, Dr Porritt has been running her own mobile veterinary surgery.
“My initial work has involved small and large animals including about 40 per cent horses,” Dr Porritt said. “I also have a shopfront in Adelong and I hope to eventually run a practice with my partner Nathan Noble who is currently a third year veterinary science student at Charles Sturt University. It is great to be able to provide frontline veterinary care to the animals of my home community. I love being able to deal directly with clients and develop a client-vet-pet relationship.”
Accompanying Dr Porritt to her graduation ceremony from 2.30pm on Friday 1 April will be her parents and her partner Mr Noble.
Also planning to attend their graduation ceremony on Friday 1 April are veterinarians Dr Alistair Grant from Orange and Dr Emma Packer from Dubbo. The pair has found themselves working together in the mixed practice, Don Crosby Veterinary Surgeons at Dubbo.
“The Charles Sturt University course has given Emma and I a good grounding for starting our career in regional practice. The quality of students who have continued to come through the practice on clinical rotations from the Charles Sturt University indicates that the course is continuing to build, in addition to the University providing excellent support for graduates in the field.” said Dr Grant.
The inaugural Veterinary Science Medal will be presented at the ceremony on Friday 1 April to veterinarian Dr Greg Dale who now works at the Macleay Valley Veterinary Services at Kempsey on the NSW mid north coast. He will graduate with a Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Bachelor of Veterinary Science Honours Class 1. Read more here.
CSU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Ian Goulter said, “This a true celebration for the entire University and is another course that is proving that Charles Sturt University is producing highly skilled professionals for rural and regional Australia with 100 per cent of our first graduates taking up positions in practices located outside of metropolitan areas.” Professor Goulter will attend the three days of graduation celebrations.
Highlights of the six ceremonies include:
10.30am Wednesday 30 March
- Ceremony involves graduates from the School of Education
- Occasional Address will be delivered Professor Tom Lowrie, Director of the University’s Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education (RIPPLE). Click here to see speech.
- 174 of the 232 eligible graduates are due to attend the ceremony in Joyes Hall.
2.30pm Wednesday 30 March
- Ceremony involves graduates from the School of Information Studies
- Occasional Address will be delivered by Ms Jan Richards, Manager of Central West Libraries, a service covering seven libraries in five local government areas in Central Tablelands and Western Slopes of NSW.Click here to see speech.
- Information Technology lecturer from the School of Computing and Mathematics at CSU in Wagga Wagga Dr Oliver Burmeister will be awarded his PhD. His doctorate entitled, What seniors value about online social interaction: The case of an online community
- 102 of the 281 eligible graduates are due to attend the ceremony in Joyes Hall.
10.30am Thursday 31 March
- Ceremony involves graduates from the School of Accounting; School of Business; School of Computing and Mathematics; and International School of Business and Partnerships
- The new Dean of the Faculty of Business, Professor Lesley White will attend her first CSU graduation ceremony since starting at CSU on Tuesday 22 February 2011
- On Wednesday 30 March, Professor White will present her awards and prizes to graduates from the Faculty of Business from 2.30pm to 3pm at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, building 412 McKeown Drive (near CSU Winery), CSU in Wagga Wagga. The 2011 Dean's Awards and Prizes will be presented to graduates and students who have received a Distinction or above in all subjects studied in any one academic session for a full-time student or in two successive sessions for distance education students.
- Occasional Address will be delivered at the graduation ceremony by prominent community leader and retired accountant Mr Rodney Parsons, OAM from Wagga Wagga.Click here to see speech.
- Ceremony includes 14 Master of Business graduates from Cambodia and their 24 relatives. The graduates have studied for their CSU postgraduate award through the Economic and Finance Institute in Phnom Penh
- The Faculty of Business will host a dinner for graduates at the Wagga RSL Club, Dobbs Street Wagga Wagga from 7pm on Wednesday 30 March
- 225 of the 513 eligible graduates are due to attend the ceremony in Joyes Hall.
2.30pm Thursday 31 March
- Ceremony involves graduates from the School of Communication and Creative Industries; the School of Psychology; and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
- Occasional Address will be delivered by Ms Anna Robb, the General Stage Manager of Operations of the production The House of Dancing Water. The Macau-based Ms Robb graduated from CSU in 2000. Read more about Ms Robb here.
- Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga Associate Professor Jennifer McKinnon will be awarded her PhD entitled, Social Work and eco-feminism in Australia: An exploration of the nexus between the personal and the political
- Lecturer with the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga Dr Karen Bell will be awarded her PhD entitled, The experiences and support needs of non-metropolitan women who have used assisted reproduction clinics. Read more about Dr Bell’s PhD on CSU News here
- Read more about CSU academics receiving postgraduate awards here.
- Designer and lecturer at The Australian National University in Canberra, Dr Rohan Nicol will be awarded his PhD entitled Crafting designs on wealth. In 2009 the award-winning artist from Wagga Wagga established Lucelux, a design and manufacture of commercial lighting products business based in regional NSW. Read more about Dr Nicol here
- During the ceremony, a social justice award from the University’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences will be presented to graduate, Ms Yangi Moi. She will receive the Lila Kirilik Social Action Memorial Prize for 2011 when she is awarded a Bachelor of Social Work with Honours Class 2 Division 1. The award recognises how she applied the ‘principles of social justice, equity, empowerment and self determination’ when she undertook work place learning at Centrelink in Wagga Wagga 2010. Ms Moi is now employed as a youth liaison worker for Centacare in Wagga Wagga
- During the same ceremony, Ms Moi will watch as her mother, Mrs Susan Moi is awarded a Bachelor of Social Science (Social Welfare). Mrs Moi works with domestic violence victims in Wagga Wagga. Read more here.
- Adjunct Senior Lecturer from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Mr David Gilbey will look on with great pride when two of his children graduate during this ceremony. His daughter Ms Rowena Gilbey from Wagga Wagga will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts and son Mr Cameron Gilbey from Melbourne will graduate with a Bachelor of Social Work
- Four graduates will be the first graduates at CSU to receive the postgraduate qualification, a Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying) Read about one of the graduates here
- 228 of the 368 eligible graduates are due to attend the ceremony in Joyes Hall.
10.30am Friday 1 April
- Ceremony involves graduates from the School of Biomedical Sciences; School of Dentistry and Health Sciences; and School of Environmental Sciences
- Occasional Address will be delivered by Professor of Medical Imaging at CSU, Rob Davidson. Read more about Professor Davison here. Click here to see speech.
- 218 of the 381 eligible graduates are due to attend the ceremony in Joyes Hall.
2.30pm Friday 1 April
- Ceremony involves graduates from the School of Agriculture and Wine Sciences; School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences; School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health
- Occasional Address will be delivered by award-winning Angus cattle producer from near Albury, Mrs Lucinda Corrigan. Click here to see speech.
- Graduates include the inaugural 30 Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Bachelor of Veterinary Science graduates who began their studies at CSU in 2005. Read more about the veterinary science program here
- Veterinarian Dr Greg Dale will be awarded the inaugural Veterinary Science Medal when he graduates with a Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Bachelor of Veterinary Science Honours Class 1. Originally from Sydney, Dr Dale is now working at the Macleay Valley Veterinary Services at Kempsey on the NSW mid north coast. Read more here.
Other veterinary science graduates attending include: Husband and wife Sean and Sarah McGrath who are working at the Terang Veterinary Clinic in south west Victoria; Dr Rosie Harvey, originally from Katherine in the Northern Territory who is now employed in a “very busy’ mixed practice in the town of Millicent in regional South Australia; Dr Rebecca Robson will travel a much shorter distance to attend her graduation ceremony as she is employed by the Wagga Wagga Veterinary Hospital co-located with the University’s Kay Hull Veterinary Teaching Hospital which provides clinical training for students
- Eight graduates will be awarded the Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health). Also known as the Djirruwang Program, the innovative course is a specialist one for Indigenous students to enable the mental health practitioners to work within their own communities. Read more here
- 229 of the 334 eligible graduates are due to attend the ceremony in Joyes Hall.
Social
Explore the world of social