Nursing dream comes true for University medallist

4 JUNE 1999

At 42, making a total career change and a mother of three children, Michele Englart readily admits there were many times over the past three years, when she had to lock her self right away from her family.

At 42, making a total career change and a mother of three children, Michele Englart readily admits there were many times over the past three years, when she had to lock her self right away from her family.

Tomorrow all the hard work and sacrifice will pay off when Michele graduates from Charles Sturt University with a Bachelor of Health Science in Nursing and accepts the University Medal, the highest honour conferred on a graduate.

"I am pleased it's all over but all the hard work has been well worth the effort, especially now I am working in nursing and loving it," she said.

Three years ago, with a Bachelor of Science already under her belt and a teaching career at TAFE, it was the desire to realise a dream to be a nurse that inspired Michele to make a career change as she headed into her 40's.

"Nursing is what I originally wanted to do when I left school and although I decided to go to Uni instead and enjoyed teaching, I still felt it was something I wanted to do."

"Living in Orange, the opportunity was there with the Uni so close in Bathurst that I thought I'd just go ahead and do the course full time."

Michele has been accepted into the graduate program with the Macquarie Area Health Service and will be working in hospitals across the region.

"So far it has been all I expected and a lot easier than studying full time.

"One thing I learnt as a student is just how hard it is to fit study into an already busy life. As a teacher I think that I was probably a bit hard on some of my students, not realising how everything else going on in their lives impacts on study. Now I have a new appreciation for what students have to juggle," she said.

Michele credits the support of family and friends in helping her get through the last three years and is looking forward to an exciting nursing career.

Michele's award will be presented during the Faculty of Health Studies graduation ceremony at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre, Wednesday 7 April, commencing at 10.30 am.

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