[CDU eNews] - GRADUATION A TRADITION IN ALICE SPRINGS

[Peter.Hurt at cdu.edu.au]

Graduates part of an Alice tradition


They are three of the best . . . they are the face of Charles Darwin
University's Alice Springs campus . . . and they are part of a tradition in
the Central Australia oasis.

Thalia Cheung, Evans Kabwe and Dianne Wardenaar will be among about 100
university students from Central Australia who will receive formal
recognition of success in their Higher Education or Vocational Education
and Training studies at a graduation ceremony at the Alice Springs
Convention Centre tomorrow (Friday).

All three completed Bachelor of Business degrees last year, majoring in
accounting, and all three have fulltime employment in Alice Springs - two
of them, Thalia and Dianne, at accounting firm Deloitte and Evans at
Centrelink.

The trio will join an excited crowd of graduands, family and friends and
university academics and staff for the 7pm ceremony. The university
Chancellor Richard Ryan, AO, and the Vice Chancellor Professor Helen
Garnett will both give a welcoming address.

Thalia will have more reason than most to be a little nervous on Friday:
she will be giving the graduand response, traditionally an honour awarded
to one of the greatest achievers of the year.

All three are part of a tradition in Alice Springs in which local
accounting firms and the public sector employ CDU business students and
graduates, supporting the students in their studies and, in turn,
benefiting from their growing expertise as they complete their degrees.

Course coordinator and lecturer Maritana Richards paid tribute to all three
students and said it had been a fulfilling experience to watch them
develop, not only professionally, but personally, during their studies.

She added: "The Bachelor of Business degree course has been operating here
since the early 1990s and is one of the most popular in Alice. We offer
majors in marketing, management and accounting. We currently have about 60
students studying for business degrees.

"Most accounting firms and government offices in Alice have either past or
present business students working for them, so the links are very strong."

Thalia, an analyst with Deloitte for the past two years, studied part-time
over the past five years while fulfilling her employment obligations.
Previously she worked at law firm Povey Stirk, where she handled
conveyancing, and before that the ANZ Bank where she was in senior
management.

Thalia, 28, has been an Alice Springs resident for the past 17 years and
completed her schooling at the Centralian College. "I've no idea why I'm
delivering the graduand response," she said, "but it is a great honour. I
did win a few annual awards, so perhaps that's why I've been chosen."

Thalia said she had recently started the CA Program, a two-year
postgraduate diploma, which is necessary to obtain the Chartered Accountant
qualification.

Dianne, a qualified chef, decided a few years ago to change careers and
opted for the business degree. Originally, she intended to major in
management, but switched to accounting, and is now working alongside Thalia
at Deloitte.

"Actually, I had always wanted to go into accounting, but after completing
Year 12 in Victoria, where I grew up, I deferred for a year. I came up to
Alice for two weeks, stayed and 'fell' into cookery. That was back in '88
and I've been here ever since."

Dianne, 35, completed a Certificate in Commercial Cookery at the School of
Hospitality and then worked at several restaurants in town, including the
casino, and also had the lease at the Feds Sports Club.

"When the opportunity cam up to do accounting, I jumped at it," she said.
"It's been a lot of hard work and late nights, but well worth it. Without
the support and help of Brian, my partner, I don't think I would have done
it."

Evans, originally from Zambia, moved to Alice in 2001 after spending seven
years in South Africa.  He worked with PFA Chartered Accountants for a year
and now handles disability claims and sickness benefits at Centrelink.

"Both employers were very supportive of my studies," he said. "Most of the
staff at PFA had been or were still studying at the CDU and gave me a hand
- they knew what was involved.

"The opportunities in Australia are endless. In four years I already have a
degree. If you want to study, the onus is on you: the options are there,
the goals are achievable and then you can enjoy the privileges."

A total of 2447 people graduated from Charles Darwin University last year,
but for various reasons - some were offshore students, others external
students from interstate, for example - many are unable to attend. Two
other graduation ceremonies were held in Darwin last month.

·     The Alice Springs graduation ceremony is on Friday June 17 at 7pm in
the Alice Springs Convention Centre.


Maritana Richards is available for interview

Peter Hurt
Media Manager
Charles Darwin University
Tel: 08 8946 6019 or 0438 466 439

CRICOS Provider No: 00300K