GUC celebrates the Graduating Class of 2019!

GUC celebrates the Graduating Class of 2019!

Talking Points:

• 46 students graduating from courses supported by the Geraldton Universities Centre (GUC) in undergraduate Nursing, Education, Environmental Science, Business, Accounting, Psychological Science, and Social Work, plus Master of Teaching, and Graduate Certificate of Health.
• USQ Bachelor of Nursing Graduate Ashlee McEwan awarded the prestigious Faculty Medal for the Faculty of Health, Engineering, and Sciences.

The Geraldton Universities Centre (GUC) celebrated the formal graduation of 46 students at the Queens Park Amphitheatre on Thursday 10 September.

Family and friends, along with the broader GUC community, joined together for the celebration, which had been delayed due to COVID-19.

The ceremony also celebrated the high academic achievement of University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Bachelor of Nursing graduate and Malgana woman, Ashlee McEwan, winner of the prestigious Faculty Medal for the USQ Faculty of Health, Engineering, and Sciences.  The Faculty Medal is awarded to graduates whose academic performance have been consistently of the highest order, and who have displayed high levels of independent and critical thought. This is the third time that a GUC student has won either a School Medal or Faculty Medal, putting them as the highest achieving students across Australia.

The graduating class of 2019 join an alumnus of 379 students who have graduated through the GUC since 2006, and GUC Chair Jody Bevan acknowledged the significant contribution that the GUC makes to growing our local professional workforce.

“The 46 graduates we celebrate this evening are already making vital contribution to our health and education workforces, to business, environmental, and community services.  Services and industries that make our local economy function and our society thrive.”

Graduating USQ Bachelor of Nursing student and Nhunda woman Allison Morgan, spoke of her personal journey to pursue a career in Nursing, including her Dad’s struggle with kidney failure.

“I became a Nurse because I wanted to close the gap. I want to be the person that cares, I want to advocate and educate. I want to be that nurse that facilitates better outcomes for patients like my Dad.”

In CQU’s student address, Bachelor of Education (Primary) Graduate Ciarra Ryan, spoke of how her job as an education assistant sparked her passion to become a teacher, and her joy at starting her teaching career at Rangeway Primary School.

“An exciting phone call from a teacher and lecturer at uni who is currently the deputy of Rangeway Primary school came to me just a few weeks ago with an opportunity for an immediate starting position until the end of the year in a beautiful split 1-2 classroom. I jumped at the chance and have since not looked back once. Although a whole new outlook on education and diversity here in Geraldton, the experiences and rewards that have come out already have been incredible.”

End.

FACTS – Graduates per program

AWARDS
Ashlee McEwan (Bachelor of Nursing) – Faculty Medallist
USQ Faculty of Health, Engineering, and Sciences