The youngest student ever to study at Charles Sturt University (CSU) is on the verge of completing a first year university level Information Technology (IT) subject in Wagga Wagga.Fourteen year old Ms Kaitlin Salzke, from Wagga Wagga High School in NSW, studied the IT subject through the Gifted and Talented program run by CSU’s Faculty of Business.
“This program targets talented high school students and gives them an opportunity to study a University subject,” said the Dean of the Faculty of Business, Professor John Hicks.
“It allows the student to follow an accelerated high school program as well as the experience of studying a tertiary education subject. This ensures that all talented students, particularly those from inland Australia, are given every opportunity to excel.”
Also from Wagga Wagga High School is Year 12 student Ms Isabelle Walsh, who is due to complete a first year Mathematics subject through the same program.
Both students studied their university subjects, which included two assignments and exams, on-campus during the 2008 Autumn academic session at CSU.
“It’s an experience that was worth every moment of my time in university as it allowed me to experience the higher level learning required after high school,” said Ms Salzke.
“Kaitlin's first assignment received the same grade when marked by two lecturers, who did not know her age or status,” said her lecturer, Mr Anthony Chan from the School of Mathematics and Computing in Wagga Wagga.
“Her second assignment was marked by me and then anonymously marked by three senior students who have done the subject. They all agreed that she deserved a very high grade.”
“I enjoyed working with Mathematics at a tertiary level as it challenged me in a different direction and allowed me to think differently,” said 17 year old Ms Walsh.
“Isabelle secured excellent scores in both her calculus assignments,” said her lecturer, Dr Fernando Viera, from CSU’s School of Mathematics and Computers.
Professor Hicks, along with the Head of the CSU School of Computing and Mathematics in Wagga Wagga and the Manager of the Division of Student Administration, Lorran Hall, will visit Wagga Wagga High School on Wednesday 25 June for a special presentation to the two teenagers.
Under the Gifted and Talented Program selected students must first receive written recommendation from their school. They are then interviewed by a panel established by the University. The students also have to meet several requirements set by the CSU Division of Student Administration.
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