Murray Children’s Centre shares the new purpose-built early childhood building at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga with Aspire Support Services, formerly Woodstock Early Intervention. Dr Sydnye Allen, Murray Children’s Centre director, and Ms Rachael Webb, early intervention manager at Aspire, work collaboratively to provide professional and practical support to CSU and Aspire. “Families of young children benefit from having convenient access to high-quality early childhood education and early intervention specialists located in one building,” Dr Allen said. CSU early childhood education students participate in placements with Murray Children’s Centre and Aspire, with three education students currently working in the infant and toddler classrooms. “For many Charles Sturt University students, this may be their first opportunity to work with children with learning difficulties,” Ms Webb said. Dr Allen and Ms Webb are also engaged in a research project on transitions in early childhood environments, with Dr Laura Piazza from CSU’s School of Education and pre-school teacher and Murray Children’s Centre assistant director, Ms Michelle Smith.

A total of 16 scholarships will be presented at the annual scholarship ceremony at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange on Friday 18 May. Valued at over $67 000, the scholarships are being awarded in disciplines ranging from agricultural business management, dentistry, pharmacy to physiotherapy. Among the awards is the Kurrajong Waratah Allied Health Scholarship which will be awarded to Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) student Ms Jessica Dodd. Ms Dodd will receive $20 000 over two years. “The scholarships give students the chance to further achieve their goals,” said Dr Heather Robinson, head of campus at CSU in Orange. “Charles Sturt University is especially grateful to the donors of the many scholarships because without them, many students would not be able to attend the University.”

High school students will experience the world of computing and information technology at university when Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst holds a special MyDay event on Thursday 17 May. MyDay offers high school students the unique opportunity to experience a day in the life of a university student. Students who have expressed a particular interest in studying computer science will learn more about courses in games technology, information technology, and business computing studies. CSU’s School of Computing and Mathematics focuses on practical applications of information and communication technology, and mathematics and statistics, to problems in industry, the environment and business.

A free cocktail party will be the backdrop for a gathering of recent and not-so-recent graduates and staff of Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Wednesday 23 May. Hosted by CSU Alumni, the evening will feature CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann, who joined the University at the start of this year. A second guest speaker will be Dr Krissy Wilson, a lecturer and researcher from the School of Psychology at CSU. A renowned sceptic, former actress and airline cabin crew member, Dr Wilson researches why people believe in extraordinary phenomena, or Anomalistic Psychology.  Read more on CSU News about Dr Wilson's new research group here. All CSU alumni are invited to attend the cocktail evening from 6pm to 8pm, Wednesday 23 May at the Country Comfort Motel on the corner of Tarcutta and Morgan Streets, Wagga Wagga.

Charles Sturt University’s new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Vann, will officially open an interpretive walk around Australia’s first environmentally friendly university campus this week in Albury.  “The Albury-Wodonga Campus is a developing, dynamic model of how communities can address environmental concerns and create sustainable environments,” Professor Vann said. Among the features of the campus are rammed earth buildings, ‘natural’ air conditioning, composting toilets, and an award winning, six green star energy rated building. “Hundreds of people visit the campus each year to learn about these features and we have responded by putting up signs that help explain these sustainable design principles,” he said. The opening and initial walk will commence at 2.45pm on Wednesday 9 May in the Gums Café, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona.

A 2 000 kilometre journey around the southern tip of New Zealand, at a time when the region was being rocked by earthquake aftershocks, has inspired Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer and photographic artist Mr Christopher Orchard. His new exhibition 15 Days is on display at the Links Gallery at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery and will be launched on Saturday 12 May. An associate lecturer with the School of Communication and Creative Industries at CSU in Wagga Wagga , Mr Orchard said using digital technologies restricted to darkroom techniques, the images in the exhibition reference the traditions of landscape photography. “The clashing of continental plates, shifting ocean currents, cold polar winds, volcanic eruptions and innumerable other physical forces reshape the soul of the land with each passing second,” he said. “The ultimate accolade for the fine-art photographer is to be able to see work displayed for public viewing, and for the general public to be able to engage with the creative process.”

A celebration of the 2012 grape harvest will be held at the CSU Winery in Wagga Wagga over a Mediterranean-inspired barbecue from 6.30pm on Saturday 12 May. Hosted by CSU Winemaker Mr Andrew Drumm, guests will be introduced to a range of the University’s wines including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling and Merlot. The wines will be matched to Mediterranean food prepared by Mr Toby Perry and his team from CSU’s Food and Beverage Services. Mr Drumm said, “The 2012 harvest was one of the more unusual. Picking began at the end of February and finished just before Anzac Day. The cool growing season in spring and summer developed good flavours on vineyards at Orange and Wagga Wagga. The rain in early March punctuated the season but a long warm autumn has finished things off quite well”. The Harvest Celebration marks the end of the seasonal cycle and the hard work and late nights.

Addressing the on-going shortage of professional accountants in regional Australia is the goal of a collaborative project based on the Border involving Charles Sturt University (CSU), Albury Wodonga Careers Advisors Association, the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA), the Murray Industry and Community Education Employment Partnership and the North East Local Learning and Employment Network. Dean of CSU’s Faculty of Business, Professor Lesley White will officially launch a structured high school work experience program for budding accounting students titled Reaping what we sow. The project was developed as part of ICAA-funded research by CSU academics Mr Daniel Murphy and Dr Dianne McGrath, based on the Albury-Wodonga Campus. “The project allows local Year 10 and 11 students to get work experience at accounting firms to understand what the job really involves, and the range and diversity of careers open to accounting graduates,” Mr Murphy said. Supply Finance Manager, Australia New Zealand with Mars Petcare, Mr Nathan Quinlivan, a CSU accounting graduate, will be guest speaker at the event on behalf of ICAA. The launch will start at 12.30pm on Thursday 10 May at La Maison Café, Wodonga.

Budding nurses from Charles Sturt University (CSU) have returned to school to lend a helping hand with health education at an Albury primary school. Seven first year nursing students are developing and delivering messages on healthy living over winter for pupils and teachers at St Anne’s Primary School in North Albury. “The students also carried out a health and safety audit of the school and developed newsletter items for parents, reinforcing what their children have learned in the classroom,” said project coordinator and CSU nursing academic, Ms Sharon Laver. “The school project also helps our students develop skills in leadership, negotiation, collaboration, health education and research while working with teachers and children in the real world.” Later this week, the CSU students will present their work to pupils and teachers at St Anne’s.