NSW Minister for Small Business, the Hon. Katrina Hodgkinson, MP, will launch Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) newest business degree, the Graduate Certificate of Small Business Management in Wagga Wagga tomorrow, Wednesday 26 October. Ms Hodgkinson, who is also the Minister for Primary Industries, will be joined at the launch by Ms Yasmin King, the NSW Commissioner for Small Business who is currently conducting a listening tour throughout the state. CSU's Graduate Certificate in Small Business Management offers students access to industry peers, market leaders and other leading resources. On the eve of the launch, the Wagga Wagga Business Chamber has appointed course director Dr Lan Snell as an ex officio Board Member in recognition of CSU's contribution to the Wagga Wagga business community.  “The launch has already received an overwhelming show of support through the heavy representation of industry and local bodies,” Dr Snell said. “It shows how much support for small business there is in the region.”

With an audience of 250 students from universities across Australia and New Zealand, the new Vice-Chancellor and President of Charles Sturt University (CSU) Professor Andrew Vann will attend a pharmacy conference opening in Wagga Wagga as one of his first official duties in the new role. The University is hosting the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA) Congress 2012 from Sunday 22 January to Saturday 28 January, a first for regional Australia. Planning for the event stems back to 2010 when the University’s student club, Pharmers' Society won a bid to host the Congress. The Congress will be attended by students and recent graduates from pharmacy programs at universities in Australia and New Zealand. The opening will take place from 9am to 11am on Monday 23 January at Joyes Hall at CSU in Wagga Wagga. Read more about NAPSA Congress 2012 on CSU News here. Read more pharmacy news on CSU News here.

The Booranga Writers’ Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) is seeking contributions for a new anthology of writing exploring issues of cultural diversity and representation. The Centre is partnering with The Multicultural Council of Wagga to publish Riverina Multicultural Voices with funding from Regional Arts NSW. Booranga Writers’ Centre Director, Dr Derek Motion, said local writers from a non-Anglo-Celtic background are invited to contribute original work. “This might be poetry, fiction, non-fiction, a script or song lyrics, anything that can be defined as writing,” he said. “In recent years the Riverina region has become increasingly culturally diverse, and this publishing venture will locate the range of different voices in our region.” The Centre also plans to hold a series of writing workshops to help writers get work ready for publication in the book. Submissions must be received before the end of March and the book will be launched in August at the Wagga Wagga City Library.

Some Riverina high school students have a new appreciation of careers in food and fibre production thanks to a scholarship program run by the Primary Industries Centre for Science Education (PICSE) at Charles Sturt University (CSU). The 12 students from Wagga Wagga, Cootamundra, Griffith and Narrandera attended a science camp at CSU in November before gaining valuable work experience with a scientist or industry specialist.  The Year 12 students outlined their experiences to CSU staff and industry representatives at a ceremony in Wagga Wagga on Friday 3 February. Although not from a rural background, Cootamundra High School student Ms Laura Bruce is passionate about working in agriculture. “When my science teacher told me about the PICSE program I just had to be involved,” she said. “It’s been an opportunity to gain knowledge, to meet other students interested in agriculture and make connections with people working in the industry.” PICSE Education Officer Ms Emma Wordsworth said the program is part of a campaign to encourage students to study science at university to help meet the skills shortage in primary industries.

One of the world’s leading veterinary pathologists will talk about some of his most memorable cases at a public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Monday 13 February. The CSU School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences is hosting Dr Claus Buergelt from the University of Florida in the United States. Dr Buergelt will deliver the inaugural presentation in the ‘Serendipitous Seminar Series’ which is jointly arranged between the School and the Riverina Veterinary Association. In his talk, Dr Buergelt will touch on areas of both veterinary and human interest, including avoiding ambush by bandits while investigating cattle deaths in a Guatemalan feedlot. Dr Buergelt will also visit CSU’s modern teaching and research facilities, including the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. CSU’s Professor Peter Chenoweth said it’s an opportunity for veterinarians, students, staff and interested members of the public to attend an entertaining session by a world-renowned scientist.

Three Charles Sturt University (CSU) academics are on the 2010-11 judging panel for the prestigious Australian poetry prize, the Mary Gilmore Award, presented by the Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL) for the best first book of poetry published by an Australian in the preceding two years. The academics include panel chair Mr David Gilbey, an adjunct senior lecturer in English at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences; Dr Mark Macleod, senior lecturer in English; and Director of Booranga Writers’ Centre at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Dr Derek Motion. Mr Gilbey said, “Poets from all over Australia were represented in this year’s Award and the preoccupations and styles showed the variousness, intensity and virtuosity of the current Australian ‘new’ poetry scenes: metropolitan/rural/coastal; professional/political/personal; formal/free; lyrical/surreal; and in size, from chapter books to full 100-plus page collections.” Six poets have been named on the short list from the 27 titles submitted by publishers. The winner of the Mary Gilmore Award for 2010-11 will be announced at the Association’s annual conference in New Zealand in July. This event draws together many of the people who organise the study of Australian poetry at universities, plus other writers, teachers, postgraduate students and librarians. The winning poet will have opportunities to meet many of these people during the conference.

As new students settle in to life on campus, St Martin’s College is celebrating 20 years of ministry to young people studying at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. The College is a joint ministry of the Anglican Dioceses of Riverina, and Canberra and Goulburn, offering self-catered residential accommodation to CSU students in Wagga Wagga. The milestone was marked by a weekend of celebrations on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 February which included tours, an anniversary dinner, a book launch, and a service of worship in the newly-renovated College Chapel. The new Garden of Reflection for the chapel was also blessed and dedicated by Bishop Doug Stevens from the Diocese of the Riverina. The garden features olive hedges, a pool of reflection, a waterfall, outdoor seating and an altar. The Head of St Martin’s College, the Reverend Jenny Willsher, hopes the garden will benefit staff and students. “This is a sacred space people can bring their stress, sadness, sorrows, and challenges, as well as their joys and celebrations, and find themselves renewed and refreshed.”

The role of librarians and teachers in preventing cyber-bullying will be discussed in a public lecture hosted by Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Information Studies on Wednesday 29 February. In her lecture at CSU in Wagga Wagga, the Director of School Information Studies at McGill University in Canada, Associate Professor France Bouthillier, will explore how the popularity of social media and the commercialisation of new technology have the potential to bring cyber-bullying into public spaces such as libraries. CSU Research Fellow, Dr Paul Scifleet, said the School of Information Studies is excited to be hosting the seminar. “Balancing safety and a duty of care with access to social media in this rich information landscape is a genuine concern for us all,” he said. “Dr Bouthillier's presentation will be a valuable exploration of the current issues and challenges faced by those who provide public access.”

There’ll be more than a few proud audience members at the official viewing of a new video to promote Wagga Wagga as a place to visit, to live and to do business. The four minute film, Wagga Wagga…Twice as Good, featuring members of the Wagga City Rugby Men’s Choir and Murrumbidgee Magic singing Eric Bogle’s Shelter, will be launched at 4pm on Saturday 25 February in Wagga Wagga. Produced by Mr Greg Conkey, the new film was directed and edited by Mr Matthew Olsen, a television production lecturer from the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Wagga Wagga. In addition to the use of the University’s editing and audio equipment, television production lecturer, Mr Patrick Sproule, technical officer, Mr David Hawke, and technical support officer, Mr Andrew Harris, donated their time as sound engineers. Third-year television production student Mr Johannes Sudbrink, from Germany, was employed as camera operator. Mr Olsen said, “I felt, as a local resident, it was important I lend my professional skills to promote the wonders of Wagga Wagga to the wider world. By donating its facilities and staff, Charles Sturt University also shares this view.”