A theatre-for-young-people production by Charles Sturt University (CSU) students has begun a week-long tour starting on Monday 4 June that will deliver nine performances to students at 10 Central West schools. The theatre/media students from the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst are touring their new production Lost and Found to schools in Bathurst, Trunkey Creek, Rockley, Cullen Bullen, Mandurama, Manildra, Mullion Creek and Dubbo. CSU lecturer and co-director of the show, Mr Daniel Aubin said, “Lost and Found uses physical theatre, story-telling, circus and music to engage, amuse and amaze. With themes surrounding memory, relationships, family, communication and health, Lost and Found has a lesson for every child. We aim to entertain, educate and strengthen the relationship between the University and Central West schools. It’s been a pleasure working with this talented cast to investigate the themes and different methods of theatre-making.”

Teamwork comes first at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Contact Centre which is why the staff were awarded the Vice-Chancellor's 2006 Team Award For Performance Excellence. Managed by Ms Kerry Browning, the Contact Centre is located at the Bathurst Campus. In their nomination, Heads of School from the Faculty of Arts Associate Professor Tracey Green and Associate Professor Rosemary Woolston said the staff “exemplify quality and professionalism”, singling out the Contact Centre’s contribution to the School of Policing Studies career day. Ms Browning said the staff  “like to work with the people we are here to support, and unless we are flexible, we can’t meet the needs of the customer. They are a great team and they are really focused on providing excellent customer service. They enjoy the interaction with other parts of CSU and always keeping University information up-to-date”.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Dentistry and Health Sciences lecturer, Dr Sabrina Manickam has been nominated for the People's Choice Community Hero Award by member for Orange Mr Andrew Gee in an announcement made last Wednesday. Dr Manickam was recognised for her contribution to the field of education and research in dentistry. "The nomination was completely unexpected but I hope it will encourage other young city professionals to relocate to rural areas," Dr Manickam said. Dr Manickam moved to Orange from Sydney 13 years ago. "Living and working in a rural area is a wonderful lifestyle choice and you do feel like you're really making a contribution.” Mr Gee said the Assistant Head of the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences at CSU had earned recognition through her dedication and commitment to her chosen career path. "Dr Manickam has excelled in what is a male dominated field," he said.

The collaboration between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and TAFE NSW’s Western Institute Dubbo Campus which enables TAFE students to articulate into a bachelor degree was celebrated recently at the United We Stand conference in Perth. The conference was described as a first for social and welfare workers and educators. CSU Humanities and Social Sciences senior lecturer Bill Anscombe presented a paper at the conference with TAFE education leader Andrew Crowley and head teacher for Community Services section Deanne Davis, who said the relationship has given TAFE students an avenue to new opportunities. “This gives students access to a university level course that they wouldn’t have thought of applying for before. Working together has helped tackle issues regarding access to education in rural areas.” Mr Anscombe agrees. “By combining with TAFE we’ve been able to offer a full-time equivalent program that combines the best of uni study with the best of TAFE competency training.”

A group of 12 graduate education students from Michigan, USA, will visit Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Saturday 2 June to attend a final rehearsal performance of Lost and Found, a new theatre-for-young-people production that is about to tour regional NSW schools. Ms Phoebe Lane, a lecturer at the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst, said, “The students are visiting schools in Australia and New Zealand, as part of a Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad. It’s the first time that eight of the 12 students have travelled overseas, and because they have been undertaking a comparative study of either ‘culturally responsive teaching’ or ‘arts-infused teaching’ in a particular subject area, a visit to Charles Sturt University for its theatre/media course was recommended by another university because of the high regard for it. There are eight primary school teachers and four high school teachers in the group (eight women and four men), and they were chosen in a competitive process for their very strong academic and social performance and demonstrated leadership skills.” The group will tour the theatre/media facilities at CSU before attending a performance of Lost and Found which begins a tour of regional NSW schools on Monday 4 June.

MyDay at Charles Sturt University in Orange, to be held on Monday 4 June, has attracted high school students from Sydney, Canberra, and north and south coast regions all keen to experience life as a health sciences student. Highlighting courses in dentistry, physiotherapy, clinical science and pharmacy, the day introduces students to the campus known as the health hub of the University. Students will gain hands-on experience in the health clinics, meet with academics and tertiary students and tour the campus. MyDay offers high school students the unique opportunity to experience a day in the life of a university student and provides key information on support available to make their goals achievable. On the same day an Agriculture HSC enrichment day will be held for those studying agriculture in the HSC.

Budding writers in Year 12 at Albury high schools will have the support of families and friends, and some critical feedback, when they present their major works for the NSW Higher School Certificate to a supportive audience in Albury next month. On Monday evening, 4 June, Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic and former head teacher of English, Mr Paul Grover  will coordinate the event where audience members will assess the presentation of major works by local English Extension 2 students. “The audience will hear the voice of the author as the students read from the major play, poem, author study or short story they have spent 12 months planning and composing for their HSC examination. These talented student writers will then receive valuable feedback to include in their final writing and revision process,” Mr Grover said. This public event will be held at 6pm on 4 June at the CD Blake lecture theatre, CSU in Albury-Wodonga, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona. To attend, contact Mr Grover on phone (02) 6051 9707 or send an email.

To understand what it is like to be a person with a disability is the aim of a course at Charles Sturt University (CSU) where four people with disabilities act as tutors for CSU students in the third year of their speech pathology degrees. As part of the 2012 program, groups of students will present the life story of their tutor in a creative performance for the tutors, their families and other CSU students, to be held in the Gums Café at CSU in Albury-Wodonga on Thursday 31 May starting at 10.15am. Program coordinator and occupational therapy lecturer, Dr Ruth Beecham, said the presentations will use imagination as well as media such as theatre, cinema, and pictures or literary expression. “We want our students to totally focus on their future clients, and what their clients want from them. Teaching students to listen carefully and respond creatively is a great way of developing these skills,” Dr Beecham said. “We need to see problems from a number of perspectives, instead of rushing headlong into ‘solutions’, and take time to explore issues.”

Students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange and Wagga Wagga recently returned from a remote cattle station where they gained firsthand experience in their chosen profession. A group of 15 fourth year Bachelor of Pharmacy  students set off from Wagga Wagga at 6am on April 15 along with lecturers Professor Patrick Ball and Ms Hana Morrissey. The group met Mr John Nolan from CSU’s Centre for Indigenous Studies for a first cultural briefing over lunch in Dubbo before continuing their journey.  They travelled a total of 830 kilometers to Moglia Station, nine kilometres north east of Goodooga, NSW, where they met with station owner Mr Michael Anderson and his wife Ms Jutta Anderson. Mr Anderson (Nyoongar Ghurradjong Murri Ghillar) is the leader of the Euahlayi tribe, a trained lawyer and Aboriginal rights campaigner. “The students had firsthand experience of the Aboriginal cultural, the rural Australian way of living and the remote health system pros and cons,” said Professor Ball. “The students visited local health facilities at Walgett, Collarenebri and Brewarrina and shared barbecue lunches with Aboriginal communities from Weimoringle and Goodooga. The information passed from the community elders to students was priceless.”