Staff and students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga will mark National Ride to Work Day tomorrow Wednesday 16 October with a leisurely ride to work and study. CSU cyclists will assemble in QEII Square in central Albury for a relaxed social ride that will leave at 7.40am and arrive at the Gums Café on the University’s Albury-Wodonga campus at 8.30am for a free breakfast for riders. Most riders are aiming to improve their health and well-being as well as reduce the number of cars around the busy roads of Thurgoona, while also reducing their carbon footprints. “Riding to work or study is not for everyone in Albury-Wodonga, but it could be a lot more than it currently is, particularly as we have excellent paths to and facilities readily available in many workplaces, including Charles Sturt University,” said Thurgoona event coordinator and regular bicycle commuter, Mr Wes Ward.

Bring your fungal toes to Charles Sturt University (CSU) in the coming weeks to assess your condition and participate in a project investigating treatments for toe nails infected by fungus, or onychomycosis. Honours student Ms Cassie Bramston, in her third year of a podiatry degree in CSU’s School of Community Health, is observing the effectiveness of applying eucalyptus oil directly to infected toes as an alternative to oral medications and ointments currently used for fungal infections. “Participants will learn about treating their feet for this condition while also making the Albury-Wodonga community more aware of the debilitating effects of onychomycosis. Treating infected toes with eucalyptus oil is potentially much cheaper than the current medications, so if it is proven effective, it will become a much cheaper and more accessible alternative, particularly in more remote areas,” said Ms Bramston, who is  based in Albury. To take part in the research study, book an appointment at CSU’s CEW Clinic, Thurgoona, on (02) 6051 9299.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Winery will launch a new-look series of labels for its Charles Sturt and Reserve ranges at CSU in Bathurst on Tuesday 1 October. Marketing manager Mr Justin Byrne said the new labels reflected the University’s history and spirit of exploration. “The labels feature the rivers of regional NSW, the Macquarie, the Murray, the Murrumbidgee and the Darling,” he said. “It was the explorer Charles Sturt who first traced the Murray and the Murrumbidgee, and those journeys are also represented on the labels.” Mr Byrne said Charles Sturt University Winery had been making wine, and winemakers, for more than 35 years. “We own and operate two vineyards, growing warm climate varieties in Wagga Wagga and cool climate varieties in Orange, and also work with growers in other regions. We have two production facilities in Wagga Wagga; a commercial winery producing our three product ranges and an experimental winery producing our student wines.” CSU staff and local business people will attend the launch event and the new labels will be on shelves throughout NSW and Victoria in the coming months.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Council has welcomed the appointment of three new highly successful alumni to its ranks. Mrs Jennifer Hayes from Albury-Wodonga is a former senior executive of the Mars Corporation, including as a senior financial executive in Asia Pacific and Europe.  Ms Saranne Cooke from Bathurst joins the Council from the energy sector and recently led a team working on energy sector reform in NSW.  Ms Cooke is also a Director of the Western Medicare Local.  Mr Jamie Newman from Orange is a member of a number of boards and committees, and is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service. He is a descendent of the Kalar tribe of the Wiradjuri nation.  The new appointees join current CSU alumni members Mr Angelos Frangopoulos (CEO of SkyNews Australia and Board Member of the Victor Chang Foundation) and Mr Peter Hayes (a Wine Industry Consultant who has held senior positions with the CRC for Irrigation Futures, CRC for Viticulture and the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation).  The Council also welcomed Mr Robert Fitzpatrick, an external independent appointee, who currently heads up the infrastructure, transport and logistics business with the National Centre of Excellence in ICT Australia and spent 7 years in global consulting for McKinsey in international business and technology. Under the leadership of Chancellor Mr Lawrence Willett, AO, the CSU Council has 15 members.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) dentistry student Ms Jessica Zachar has been recognised for her work raising awareness of rural health issues with a National Rural Health Leadership Award. Ms Zachar received the award from Future Health Leaders during the organisation’s Rural Health Leadership forum, held at CSU in Orange recently. Ms Zachar said she was delighted to receive the award. “I chose to study dentistry at Charles Sturt University because I am a strong supporter of the University’s motto ‘For the Public Good’,” she said. “It is my vision and goal to bridge the gap in oral health education and services for rural communities, not only locally but also nationally.” Ms Zachar was recognised for her involvement in the CSU Student Dental Association and its work, in partnership with the Carevan Foundation, to promote oral hygiene instruction to primary school children in regional and rural communities of New South Wales. “There is still a huge gap in the oral health education in our society,” she said. “Statistics show that by the age of six, 50 per cent of children will have tooth decay. This is quite alarming for a developed country and it is evident that the importance of oral health is undervalued and urgently needs to be addressed.” The first group of Bachelor of Dental Science students will graduate from CSU in Orange in December.  

The week-long 2013 SPRUNG Festival of Creativity kicks off at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Friday 27 September and runs until Saturday 5 October. The 2013 SPRUNG Festival features eight distinct shows at three venues at CSU in Bathurst, in a range of theatrical genres from children’s theatre to physical theatre, comedies and drama. There will also be short film and live TV screenings, and a live-music night on Wednesday 2 October. There is even adult puppetry. Mr Dan Aubin, theatre/media lecturer at the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Bathurst said, “The Festival showcases the combined talents of 70 theatre/media students across all years, and has helped launch the careers of many graduates. This year’s event is a really exciting mix of theatre, with something for everyone. The various productions are rotated across the week-long schedule, so different shows can be seen at different times.” More information about the performance schedule and ticket purchases can be found online here.

The Port Macquarie and Mid North Coast region will field its first-ever team in the annual NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout competition to be held in Newcastle on the October long weekend. The Yapun Yapun team is made up of Mid North Coast residents and sponsored by Charles Sturt University (CSU) Indigenous Student Services. Indigenous Student Support Officer at CSU in Port Macquarie, Ms Helene Jones said the University is delighted to support the team in contesting the 43rd running of the competition. “This is a fantastic opportunity to support community  mentors to become leaders; highlighting the relationships between sports, community, family and education,” she said. “Through delivery of Higher Education courses and community engagement programs, Charles Sturt University looks for opportunities to promote social equality and the recognition of Aboriginals as leaders in our community. Charles Sturt University is committed to working with Indigenous people in our communities to close the gap and serve the local community.  As the first team from the area to compete in this competition, there is plenty of local interest and support." 

Third year apprentice chef at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Mr Garrick Pahl was highly commended at the annual Group Training Employment Specialists (GTES) Apprentice and Trainee Awards held in Wagga Wagga on Friday 23  August.  Mr Pahl, a Certificate III in Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) student, was nominated for the 2013 GTES Apprentice and Trainee Awards by his supervisor at CSU. As a finalist in the category of Third Year Apprentice of the Year, Mr Pahl was Highly Commended. CSU is currently a host employer for four trainee staff through GTES. Team Leader of Food and Beverage Services at CSU, Mr Toby Perry said, “This apprenticeship and traineeship scheme is an excellent introduction into the hospitality industry for young local people. Mr Pahl has now finished his apprenticeship and has stayed on with Charles Sturt University in a contract role. Quite a few trainees have been successful in gaining full time positions with the University on the completion of their training.”

A group of Bachelor of Clinical Science students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange are taking the pulse of the population on knowledge of cardiovascular disease. Third-year student, Ms Amika Bober, said the group was researching the level of knowledge about heart health to inform the development of educational materials on one of Australia’s biggest health threats. “We’ve got a short survey we’re asking people to fill in and we’ll collate the results and see where and how we could better inform people about cardiovascular disease,” she said. “It’s one of the most urgent health issues facing people right around Australia. What we want to do is measure what people in Orange know about it, so that we can develop specific materials to improve local health.” The students will be handing out surveys in Post Office Lane, off Summer Street, on Monday 23 and Thursday 26 September. “We’re not looking for donations and we don’t want to sign people up for anything,” Ms Bober laughed. “We just need two minutes of their time so we can do our bit to make sure Orange residents stay healthy for longer.”