More than 130 graduates, including about 30 graduating dentists, and 450 guests are expected to celebrate the end of the university year at a graduation ceremony for Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange on Tuesday, 17 December. The ceremony will see students graduate from courses in agricultural business management, clinical science, dental science,pharmacy and physiotherapy. The new graduates will join almost 3 400 other successful students to graduate from CSU inAlbury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Canberra, Orange and Wagga Wagga over the next week. They will include the first dentists to graduate from the Bachelor of Dental Science, which began in 2009. The first Bachelor Physiotherapy graduates from CSU in Orange are concluding their final placements and will graduate early next year. Head of Campus Dr Heather Robinson said this year's graduation was especially significant for the University's efforts to redress rural health workforce shortages. "Charles Sturt University has shown in the past that by training rural students close to home, and by creating a curriculum specifically suited to rural practice, we can make a difference to the accessibility of rural health services," she said. "It's why rural students make up about half our paramedic, psychology and pharmacy enrolments, but more than three quarters of those graduates go on to rural careers. We look forward to following the careers of our class of 2013 with interest, and in working with them to ensure our communities continue to prosper into the future.Media note: Media are welcome to attend the CSU graduation ceremony at Kinross Wolaroi School, 59-67 Bathurst Road in Orange from 3pm, Tuesday, 17 December. Contact CSU Media for further details.