Border graduates’ time to celebrate
After years of late night study, challenging assessments and tough exams, more than 160 graduands from La Trobe’s Albury-Wodonga campus will have their moment in the spotlight at the University’s first graduation of the year.
The graduands – including 74 students from the cohort due to graduate in 2020, and six individuals receiving PhDs – will gather with family and friends to celebrate their years of study in a wide range of courses, from biomedical science to education, social work to psychology. A further 63 graduands will receive their degrees in absentia.
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar AO said he was pleased and proud that the hard work and commitment of the graduands could be recognised and celebrated.
“After an incredibly tough year, it’s wonderful that we can come together in person to acknowledge the achievements of these students,” Professor Dewar said.
“Whether they completed their studies remotely, or met the challenges of the pandemic as a new graduate in the workplace, all of these new La Trobe alumni are to be congratulated for their flexibility and commitment.”
Professor Dewar said the graduating classes of 2020 and 2021 would be an asset to workplaces seeking adaptable employees with critical thinking skills.
“We admire them for their remarkable achievements, and thank their family and friends who helped them succeed on their La Trobe journey,” Professor Dewar said.
Among those graduating will be six PhD candidates – Rachael Heckenberg, Clayton Harris, Victoria McCartney, Toai Nguyen, Jozette Dellemain and Kornelisje Modderman – who can all now call themselves a Doctor of Philosophy, having competed their theses in Albury-Wodonga.
The Albury-Wodonga graduations at The Cube on Friday are La Trobe’s first for the year. An estimated 1300 students will receive their degrees at graduation ceremonies in Bendigo, Shepparton and Mildura over the coming weeks.