“The big question is, do some adults improve their lives after a parent’s cancer experience? It sounds quite odd, because how could anything good possibly come from this?” Janelle Levesque from Charles Sturt University’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences will research how having a parent with cancer impacts on their adult children. “For some, cancer can act as a wake-up call. Some realise life is too short to stay in work they don’t like while others switch to more family-friendly or part time work. Another change may be the realisation that the little things are not so important. The wet towel on the bathroom floor really doesn’t matter, what matters is making time to speak to the kids for 10 minutes before bed.” Ms Levesque says the biggest area of change is that “most people find that their family grows closer through the experience”.

"Shebang" is slang for "the whole lot" and a fitting title for the graduation show of Charles Sturt University's (CSU) Graphic Design and Multimedia students, according to course coordinator Michael Agzarian. "The students have each created a very large piece of artwork, so with over 30 pieces, the resulting exhibition is stunning," he said. Multimedia screenings will also showcase a variety of styles, from simple two dimensional work though to complex 3-D animation. "I have given the students carte blanche to show off their style and skills and the final product represents great diversity, innovation and creativity," Agzarian said.

Rings, bangles, pendants and brooches created from precious metals as well as other materials such as silicon and polyurethane are on display at an exhibition of work by Charles Sturt University's (CSU) graduating Bachelor of Arts in Jewellery students. Lecturer Sabine Pagan says the students used both traditional and contemporary skills in the manufacture of their innovative designs. She says the highlight of the exhibition is seeing how the students worked within themes such as evolution, space, and body armour. “These themes have guided the seven students in their creation of truly unique works," Ms Pagan said. Executive Director of Craft ACT Barbara McConchie will officially open the exhibition at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery on Friday 17 November at 6.30pm.

Acting students from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) are to train in the Chekhov and Stanislavski technique with a Russian director with an unbroken link to the two great men themselves. Leonid Verzub was a long-term student of Maria Knebel, an assistant to Konstantin Stanislavski and friend and collaborator with Mikhail Chekhov, Anton Chekhov’s nephew. In 1979 Leonid Verzub was awarded the title of Honoured Artist of Russia and Theatre Director of the Highest Category. He visited CSU’s Wagga Wagga campus yesterday (Monday 20 November) at the behest of his former student Dr Ashley Wain who is now a lecturer in the CSU’s VPA. Verzub was here to meet the acting and design students with whom he will work next year when he directs the Australian premiere of Stars in the Morning Sky at the Riverina Playhouse. “It is a really rare opportunity for the students to work with someone who is a master director in one of the strongest and richest theatrical traditions in the world,” said Dr Wain.

“Young people need no magic shields, swords and arrows to cope with the world of work,” according to Associate Professor Erica Smith, a specialist in vocation education and training from Charles Sturt University (CSU). Professor Smith says it is dangerous and futile to constantly make changes to the school curriculum in attempts to prepare young people better for the workplace. Her paper, The Land of Narnia or just the back of the wardrobe? What research tells us about the real world of work for young people will challenge many assumptions made about the nature of entry into work life for young people. Drawing from her national research, Professor Smith says the majority of young people have a realistic view of the labour market, hold sufficient skills to succeed and are able to move to full-time work seamlessly over a period of several years with no major difficulties. “The world of work, rather than being a strange land, difficult to enter, where battles are fought and special guides are needed, is a familiar and navigable place to young people,” she said. 

Carbon emissions trading is a great idea waiting to happen, according to Charles Sturt University’s environment economist Mark Morrison. Dr Morrison says he agrees with Prime Minister John Howard, who said at the APEC summit late last week that any carbon trading system would have to be global to suceed. “The global effort is going to be ineffective unless everyone is going to involved,” said Dr Morrison. “Very few countries are meeting their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Australia is going to be one of the most severely affected countries. The ability of agricultural land in Australia to produce the way it has historically is very unlikely, if you believe the global warming forecasts and I do.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) has partnered with The Project Management Institute (PMI) Sydney Chapter to offer a world-first industry-based qualification for project managers. Participants will gain international recognition as a PMI Project Management Professional as part of the course. Scholarship applications are now invited for the Graduate Diploma of Project Management. Dean of CSU’s Commerce Faculty Professor John Hicks believes education in project management is a rapidly developing field in the tertiary education sector. “CSU is pleased to be participating with industry experts in the development of subjects and courses to meet the educational needs of the profession.” Enrolment applications are new being accepted by CSU and scholarships have been donated by PMI to support the launch of the new qualification.

After six months teaching Year Seven students in a small American curriculum school, Charles Sturt University graduate Lijana Poga decided to switch to volunteer work in an impoverished area south of Manilla in the Philippines. There she found herself working with kindergarten students and developmentally delayed orphans in an unusual classroom setting – a rubbish dump. She was living with an Australian family who run a mission organisation which provides food and schooling to 1 000 children. “I started sponsoring a girl while I was at school and always wanted to volunteer. I decided to go to university and study Education so I had something to offer.” Lijana has returned to Dubbo where she will be teaching in the city’s West. “I’d just like to tell other Education students that there are so many opportunities out there from teaching from international schools to volunteer work. It’s definitely worth looking into.”

Charles Sturt University’s Wagga Wagga Campus will host Australia’s first International Millinery Forum early next year. Co-ordinator Linda Tillman said the response so far has been overwhelming. “I already have over 100 registrations from every state in Australia, as well as New Zealand, America, London, Scotland, and today I received an email from Spain.” The five day event includes a series of seminars, hands-on workshops and a trade expo. “The people who are registering are so passionate about hat making. They can come and learn new things and share their different tricks of the trade.” Milliners who will showcase their techniques include Germany’s Constance Willems, Austria’s Christine Rohr-Bernard, and Eia Radosavljevic and Jan Wutkowski from the USA. “Australia’s millinery community has never seen an event like this before,” said Ms Tillman.