Sydney graduation highlights inspiring student achievements

More than 300 CQUniversity graduates celebrated the completion of their studies at the Sydney graduation ceremony on 4 April 2022.

The Vocational Education and Training (VET)' Higher Education and PhD students were cheered on by family' friends and CQU staff as they crossed the stage at the Sydney International Convention Centre.

Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Nick Klomp congratulated all the graduates on taking their first steps toward their future careers' joining CQU's global alumni cohort in the workforce.

"Over the past several decades' CQUniversity has changed the lives of more than 100'000 graduates'" he said.

"These graduates all have something in common - each one has dared to dream about their future career and has made it a reality through their hard work and perseverance."

First Class in Bachelor of Podiatry Practice (Honours) graduate' Lenore Smith delivered the student address where she reflected on her study experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The most important moments of our lives are marked by ceremonies and rituals. In times of uncertainty like these' they help impose order in the chaos of everyday life. Rituals and ceremonies forge a sense of belonging and common identity'" Ms Smih said.

"When COVID first started and we went into lockdown' I seriously wondered how we would ever finish our degrees and have a graduation ceremony.

"Throughout his experience' I was consistently amazed by the resilience of the teaching body to adapt to the challenges we faced.

"On behalf of the Sydney graduates' I would like to extend my deep gratitude and appreciation to the CQU staff' especially our teachers and lecturers."

The ceremony also celebrated the 2022 Alumni Award Recipient' Mr Aidan Baron for his achievements in research' highlighting his work on how social media impacts health care delivery' and best practice for inclusive LGBTQIA+ health care.

The award recognised Mr Baron for his Honours research in ultrasound-guided intravenous cannulation' and his Graduate Certificate in Clinical Ultrasound' to launch The PoCUS Course' an international training program for Point of Care Ultrasound.

During his occasional address' he encouraged the new graduates to remember two things throughout their careers - focus on what matters and invest in others.

"As humans' we all want to leave a legacy. We all want to feel like we are making a contribution and to be able to say' 'I did that.'" Mr Baron said.

"We like to think there is a clear solution ahead but often they are nuanced with textual and cultural matters. Instead' we should aim to give people the tools to solve their own problems.

"Invest in people' not things. That's going to have a far bigger impact than any policy or procedure ever will.

"Invest your energy into raising people up."

Reuben Gupta' who graduated with a Master of Information Technology (Networks and Information Security) and Graduate Certificate in Project Management' was named the Associate Vice-President's New South Wales Region Medal recipient' acknowledging his commitment to his studies.

Four First Nations students were also among the graduating cohort and participated in a cultural sashing to recognise and celebrate their Indigenous heritage.