Coffs Harbour students celebrate

More than 800 people will converge on Southern Cross University’s Coffs Harbour campus tomorrow (Saturday) for the 2007 Graduation ceremony.

A total of 155 students will be attending the ceremony to receive their awards in areas including arts, business and health and applied science. Another 32 graduands will receive their awards in absentia.

The main courtyard of the campus has been transformed for the ceremony, which is being held outdoors for the first time.

The awards will be conferred by the Chancellor, the Honourable John Dowd AO QC and the occasional address will be given by Alison Page, designer and regular judge on the ABC New Inventors.

Among the graduands will be the first cohort of Bachelor of Nursing students to complete their degree at Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. The three-year nursing course was first introduced at the Coffs Harbour campus and Port Macquarie in 2004 with an intake of around 45 students. The course now has more than 300 students.

Dr Elaine Nuske, a lecturer in the School of Arts and Social Sciences, will also be celebrating her graduation. Dr Nuske will be the first Coffs Harbour staff member to graduate with a Southern Cross University PhD at this campus.

She has completed a study looking at the experiences of the natural children of foster carers.

“It’s been along task to get through. I’ve been working at the University for 10 years and completed this study in six years, part-time. It will be lovely to graduate in front of my peers and with my undergraduate students,” Dr Nuske said.

A number of University Medals and prizes will also be awarded. The ceremony starts at 10.30am in the main courtyard.

Media contact: Brigid Veale Southern Cross University communications manager 02 66593006 or 0439 680 748.