Faculty of The Professions — 2012 medal winners

I was born and educated in Taree on the Mid North Coast, NSW (Taree West Primary School and Taree High School).

My first job was at a Chartered Accountants as a bookkeeper and whilst working there completed an Advanced Certificate in Commerce at Taree TAFE.

I discovered a love of travel when I took my first annual leave and have now travelled in approx 60 countries! I lived and worked in London for 5 years in the 1990’s.

I returned home and studied Retail Travel for a year, at Port Macquarie TAFE where I received a State Medal for coming first in the course. I then worked for 5 years at a local travel agency in Taree.

I went back to accounts work, for another 5 years, at our local private hospital in Taree – Mayo Private Hospital.

I had always wanted to complete a degree, and the presence of the UNE Shop in Taree swayed me towards studying at UNE. It took four years to complete my Bachelor of Business, wholly by external study. The first two years were part-time whilst I was working, and then I took two years off work to study full-time. I felt I needed that piece of paper to open up more career opportunities and progress in my career

I am so honoured to receive this award and recognition, as it was quite a big step to dive into tertiary study after such a long break from school. I thoroughly enjoyed my studies and found that I went down a totally different path (economics) than what I had in mind when I enrolled! I had some truly exceptional lecturers and wish to thank them all for their support. Also, I would like to send out a big thank you to my partner who supported me through all the blood, sweat and tears (and there were many tears...).

I applied for, and was accepted into the 2012 Department of Finance and Deregulation Graduate Program.  So I am now based in Canberra, where I work in Budget Group in the Climate Change Agency Advice Unit. Also, it has proven to me that you are never too old to study, and even apply for Graduate Programs. At the ripe old age of 42 I am in the Graduate Program at the Department of Finance and Deregulation and am thoroughly enjoying every minute of it

I have recently graduated from a Bachelor of Education (Primary) at the University of New England.

I grew up on a beef and cropping property called “Hollywood” in North West New South Wales, 65km from the small country town of Coonamble.

I have wanted to be a primary teacher for as long as I can remember, and in 2008 I began this journey by commencing my studies at UNE.

My time at UNE has been truly amazing. I was constantly challenged as I tried to keep the ‘balance’ between my academic studies and all of the extra-curricular and social activities that UNE and its colleges had to offer me.

I lived at St. Albert’s College for the duration of my degree which I thoroughly enjoyed. The relationships formed in a college such as Albies are life long, and I will treasure these memories of my second home forever.

I grew up with my family on Sydney’s Northern Beaches where I completed my HSC at Manly Selective Campus, NBSC in 2005. After high school I took a gap year and travelled to the United States of America to work at Camp Chipinaw in upstate New York, an 8 week children’s summer camp. Here I discovered my passion for working with children and also met my husband, Jay.

After several months travelling abroad I returned to Australia in 2008 and relocated to Goulburn, NSW where I began studying my Bachelor General Studies/ Bachelor of Teaching through the University of New England as an external student in pursuit of fulfilling my dream of becoming a primary school teacher.

I chose to study through the University of New England because of the university’s excellent reputation as a distance educator. I thoroughly enjoyed my experiences while studying through UNE, including the practical experience placements, residential schools and hands on approach to teaching and learning activities. It was also an honour to present the students’ Vote of Thanks at the Graduation Ceremony in September 2012.

Since graduation I have been working at a local primary school where I am enjoying putting into practice all that I have learnt while studying through the University of New England.

I grew up in Glen Innes, NSW, where I attended both primary and high school. After finishing Year 12 I aspired to be a primary school teacher and decided to pursue this dream through the University of New England. I chose UNE because I had heard that the university was highly acclaimed for its educational degree and I was attracted to its close-knit community and rural atmosphere. While I was studying at university I lived on campus at Earle Page College, where I gained many valuable friendships and built support networks within my teaching peers. During my studies at UNE I received an Enhanced Teacher Training Scholarship, which has provided me with full time employment after the completion of my degree. Currently, I am living in Tamworth and working at a local primary school and I am thoroughly enjoying putting into practice everything that I have learnt from the University of New England.

I was born in 1957; the son of Ken and Shirley and I spent most of my childhood growing up in Wallerawang (near Lithgow, NSW). I obtained my Higher School Certificate in 1974, and then worked as a Postal Clerk before joining the RAAF for six years as a technician in 1976. I married Jenny in 1981 and started my three year hospital based Registered Nurse training in 1983.

Our son Steven was born in 1984 and our daughter Laura in 1986. I struggled working in hospital and aged care based nursing and had long periods of ‘time-out’ working in defence-based aviation. In 2000 I took the opportunity to pursue a growing passion in helping people one-on-one and commenced 2 years part-time training in personal counselling with the then titled Anglican Counselling Service (now Anglicare) in Nowra/Wollongong, NSW. However, changes regarding essential tertiary qualifications and supervised experience for counselling practice prevented pursuing a counselling career. Hence in 2008 I applied to do the Bachelor of Health, Ageing and Community Services with a specialisation in Counselling Studies through UNE’s distance education program. My wonderful wife Jenny has supported and encouraged me in many ways as I cut my work back to one part-time and one casual position. Steven and Laura have also been a continual encouragement and support and I could not have finished my degree without each ones’ support, as well as that of my extended family. I found my course so valuable in covering such a diverse, extensive range of subjects and topics and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my unit coordinators and administrative staff for all their involvement over my last four years of study.

I have recently completed and graduated from a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of New England and begun my career as a Registered Nurse in John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle. I was born in Armidale and spent my childhood growing up here with my three younger siblings. I attended St Mary’s Primary School and moved on to O’Connor Catholic College for the first part of my secondary education, completing my secondary schooling at Duval High School. Following completion of my schooling in 2006, I took part in the Pilgrimage of Hope to Kolkata, India; a group of 80 school students and staff from around Australia who have joined forces with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters, a group of nuns founded by Mother Theresa with a mission to aid the poorest of the poor living on the streets of Kolkata. As students, we volunteered in the various homes for abandoned and mentally ill children and adults, homes for the destitute and dying, and assisted the many groups of people who supply fresh water and basic medical treatment to the “untouchables” living in the slums. I found this experience to be challenging, eye opening and extremely rewarding and it was at this time that I began to feel the calling into a career that revolved around helping people.

After returning from India, I spent a couple of years working in various customer service and hospitality jobs around Armidale while I waited until I was old enough to join the Ambulance Service. However I found these jobs to be strenuous and unsatisfying. Once I started to become unhappy within myself, I decided it was time for a change and although I had said I would never attend university, I enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing with a determination that I would complete the course in order to make a difference to the lives of people in need. The hard work has now paid off and as I graduate from this course with an extraordinary academic record, I have entered into my nursing career with bright prospects in front of me. As I mentioned, I am living and working in Newcastle however I do not plan to remain in Newcastle permanently. I plan to gain several years experience in the critical care areas of John Hunter Hospital and then progressively move into more rural locations, many of which experience living and health conditions similar to those in Third World countries such as India. I hope to one day work with the Royal Flying Doctor Service to deliver health care services to those who would otherwise miss out and play my part in trying to close the health gap between the rural and isolated regions of Australia and the larger metropolitan centres. I now have no doubt in my mind that I will be able to achieve this.