LIAM DURKIN
By LIAM DURKIN
THE latest cohort of Federation University graduates tossed their mortarboards in the air last week, officially bidding adieu to their studies.
Graduates gathered at the Churchill Campus on March 29 to celebrate their achievements, as they were presented on stage one-by-one with their certificates.
The graduates are now ready to make a positive mark on the world, and will take the skills acquired at Federation University into their working life.
From here, some will become educators, doctors, and support workers, and while their journeys may take them to different places across the globe, they will forever be linked to the humble country town of Churchill.
The ceremony carried more than one highlight for Traralgon’s Julie Marriott, who was bestowed upon with the University Medal for ‘Outstanding Academic Achievement’.
Ms Marriott said it was humbling to be seen as worthy of receiving such an accolade.
“It is an honour to be chosen for such a prestigious award. I was a bit astounded to be honest, I thought there are other people who have done amazing things (that deserve it),” she told The Express.
Ms Marriott completed a Bachelor of Human and Community Services, and has been working at Anglicare in their ‘TRAK Forward’ program for the last year or so.
Amazingly, she completed her tertiary studies at the same time her daughter was completing Year 12.
One can only imagine how much assignment pressure there was under one roof. Graduates in the last few years have well and truly been up against it, trying to navigate no shortage of minefields brought about by COVID.
Despite this, students have pulled through, and Ms Marriott paid tribute to Federation staff for their support.
“I think we had a fairly tight-knit cohort which helped with that pivot and we had
really good relationships with our teaching staff, so that made it a lot easier,” she said.
“They were always available, you could send them an email, make a phone call or make a Skype call to get assistance, they were more than willing to talk you out of rabbit holes when you were trying to work out what your assignment was about, it is a credit to them as well, the marks that I could achieve.
“My final year was actually the start of the pandemic so that went from being face-to-face to being online, part of our degree is to do placement, a lot of placements were closed, if you couldn’t get placement – you couldn’t graduate.”
Federation University, Australia vice-chancellor and president Professor Duncan Bentley said it was always a highlight to see students graduate.
“It is absolutely fantastic, particularly after the pandemic, to be able to get together, just to see the delight in their faces, the real support from their parents and friends, the end of a huge journey for them, they have climbed the mountain and hit the other side and all they can see is the opportunity ahead of them,” he said.
As they are now alumni, graduates can proudly say Federation is their alma mater.
There is perhaps just one downside – no more student concessions.
