Lynn Taitt-Isaac completed her Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) course at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Ontario at the end of last year and was due to commence a Masters with CSU in July. Sadly, in March, Lynn was killed in an accident. She was 33. Today, at the CSU Ontario graduation, Lynn’s sister Lori Taitt will represent Lynn and wear the gown and mortar-board. Lynn’s family say they are all very proud of her accomplishments and want to celebrate on her behalf. Her mother, Monica Taitt, wants the other students graduating today to see that, even though Lynn has passed away, “life goes on. Lynn worked hard to achieve this. She had a zeal to do things, and she was very motivated - that keeps her spirit alive in us. Lynn talked about CSU a lot because she loved getting up in the morning and going there.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) has enthusiastically welcomed the reformation of the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture (ACDA), which will develop strategies to raise the profile and strengthen student recruitment into agricultural science programs. CSU played a lead role in bringing about the reconvening of the ACDA. CSU Professor Jim Pratley, who was elected as interim Secretary-Treasurer, said the ACDA will increase opportunities for students. “There is a strong common view that there are exciting careers in agriculture and the job market is buoyant”. CSU Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences Head of School John Kent said, “We need Australia's best and brightest coming into agricultural studies to meet the challenges of the future, which includes feeding the rapidly increasing world population, coping with new technology as well as environmental and climate changes”.

A former Charles Sturt University (CSU) journalism student has been awarded a $500 scholarship by leading childhood cancer support charity Redkite to assist her to advance her career. Ms Angela Lavoipierre, who studied journalism  at the CSU School of Communication at Bathurst, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia just before she began her Higher School Certificate. Despite receiving chemotherapy and treatment throughout school and university, Ms Lavoipierre has worked hard and excelled at her studies. “I’m surprised and delighted to receive this scholarship and intend to use it to undertake freelance work,” Ms Lavoipierre said. “I plan to focus my stories on social justice issues in remote parts of New South Wales as they are often missed because they are too far out of the way for media attention.” Ms Lavoipierre is currently working as a journalist at ABC Radio News in Sydney.

As the new School of Dentistry and Health Sciences building nears completion below, the peregrine falcons at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Orange have been busily working on their own creations, with three eggs hatched in the campus’s landmark water tower. “We have been working very hard on the completion of a new nesting box, designed and built to ensure more room for the birds to roost, and better access for our cameras,” said Ms Cilla Kinross, a lecturer at the CSU School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences at Orange. “Unfortunately the female falcon has laid her eggs two months earlier than last year, so we weren’t able to install the new roost in time. At least she seems happy with the old roost, otherwise she would not have re-nested in the same box.” If all goes well, the eggs are due to hatch in early October. The sole survivor of two eggs hatched last year was named Migii, the Aboriginal name for ‘lightning’ due to the water tower being struck by lightning a few days prior to it hatching.

The relevance of art in the age of blockbuster exhibitions, video games and reality television will be explored during a free public lecture in Tumut on Wednesday 30 September by artist, writer, curator and Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic Dr Johannes Klabbers. “Only art which has truth and beauty in equal measures is able to move people,” said Dr Klabbers from the School of Visual and Performing Arts at CSU at Wagga Wagga where he is postgraduate coordinator and course coordinator of the Master of Arts Practice. “The rest is either interior decorating or entertainment.” Dr Klabbers is targeting his informal presentation, ‘Looking at, and Making, Art in the 21st Century’ at art lovers, arts practitioners and those who do not understand art but would like to. The CSU lecturer will also discuss exhibitions he has curated and would like to curate, as well as showing visual and audio documentation of his works. The free public lecture, which is co-hosted by CSU and Tumut Shire Council, will be held from 6pm on Wednesday 30 September in the Montreal Community Theatre, Russell Street, Tumut. CSU wines and cheeses will be served after the lecture.

The football (soccer) coach at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Orange believes the change in demographics at the campus has contributed to the team playing in the Orange District A Grade Competition grand final this Saturday 26 September. Dr Scott Andrew, lecturer at the School of Biomedical Sciences said, "There are definitely more students to select from this year and it has improved our source of players." This is the third year that CSU at Orange has fielded a side in the men’s A Grade competition and the second year for the women's team. Another factor that has helped develop the team has been the new multi-purpose field at CSU’s Orange Campus. “Full flood lighting will be erected around the field next year so we can play night games,” Dr Andrew said. The CSU Orange team is made up of students and two University academics, and is sponsored by Hotel Orange and Hogan’s Pharmacy.

Students from the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Communication will fill several roles in the biennial Catapult Festival for young performers which will launch in Bathurst on Wednesday 23 September. To fulfil requirements for their major work research projects, which are marked by an external examiner for the subject ‘theatre/media workshop’, third-year students in the theatre/media course, Ms Georgia Prince, Ms Stephanie McLelland, and Ms Alice James, are working directly with Ms Kylie Shead, the festival coordinator and creative producer of the Local Stages program at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre. “The Catapult Festival is a truly national festival now, with performing groups travelling from most Australian states and territories to participate,” Ms Shead said. “The contribution of CSU theatre/media students is invaluable. In addition to the third-year students, all second-year students in the subject ‘devised theatre’ contribute in a variety of production roles that form the basis of an assessment for them in that subject.”

As part of Charles Sturt University's (CSU) 20th Anniversary celebrations in 2009, the University Council will name several student residences in honour of pioneers of higher education for the University in Albury-Wodonga. An official ceremony will be held at CSU at Albury-Wodonga on its Thurgoona site at 2.15pm on Thursday 24 September. Student residential houses will be named after former Head of Albury-Wodonga Campus and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor David Battersby; former member of the University Council and CEO of the Hume Building Society, Dr William Hanrahan; and former director of the Albury Campus and noted local and national historian, Adjunct Associate Professor Bruce Pennay, OAM. CSU Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter, said, “The naming of these residences is one way of recognising the huge contribution and legacy of these three people.” Members of the Albury-Wodonga community have been invited to the ceremony with CSU staff and students, to be held in the Gums Café on CSU’s Thurgoona site, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Wagga Wagga is marking the National Aboriginal and Islander Day of Celebration (NAIDOC) with performances, guest speakers and artwork displays on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 September. CSU’s Manager of Indigenous Student Services, Mr Ray Eldridge, said NAIDOC is a very significant part of the Australian Aboriginal calendar of events, with its origins in the 1930s when William Ferguson commenced his fight for the rights of Aboriginal people, giving impetus to the May 1967 Referendum. “This year’s celebrations will commence with a Welcome to Country from Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Isabel Reid, and will include didgeridoo playing, poetry readings, performances from Tirkandi Inaburra Cultural and Development Centre, and a display of artworks from students Mr Wayne Simon and Ms Melanie Evans. NAIDOC is a time for reflection and sharing stories with visiting and local Indigenous people.”