Our community, your university

We're celebrating 25 years on the Coast and 50 years in the region. Meet our Central Coast graduates making a difference...

Celebrating Student Success

Transforming the lives of Central Coast residents through the delivery of world-class teaching, learning and research is a key focus of the University of Newcastle - Central Coast. In 2014 we celebrated our 25th anniversary of the commencement of teaching, at the Ourimbah Campus.

Explore the personal and professional journeys of 25 students who completed their university course or program at the Central Coast Campus.

Joanne McCarthy

Joanne McCarthy

Accidental journalist wins top media award

Winning Australian journalism's top award for her reports into alleged child sexual abuse would not have been possible for Joanne McCarthy, without the research and analytical skills she learned as part of her university degree.

Click here to read Joanne's story

Tim Silverwood

Tim Silverwood

Education is the key to cleaner oceans

Central Coast environmentalist Tim Silverwood, believes education is the key to reversing the threat plastics and other garbage poses to the health and sustainability of our precious marine environments.

Click here to read Tim's story

Jo Heighway

Jo Heighway

Success is more than a numbers game

Jo Heighway was honoured to be named the Australian Young Business Women of the Year in 2011, after launching her auditing business seven years earlier, from her Central Coast lounge room. Today, the entrepreneurial mum is driven to grow her online firm to be the largest of its kind in Australia.

Click here to read Jo's story

Tim Knight

Tim Knight

Using science to give Mariners a winning edge

Central Coast PhD student Tim Knight has kicked a winning career goal, in his role as the Head of Sport Science with 2013 A League champions, the Central Coast Mariners Football Club.

Click here to read Tim's story

Bonnie Denness

Bonnie Denness

Helping to build Australia's prosperity 

University medallist Bonnie Denness is working alongside Ministers and senior public servants, as one of a handful of graduates employed by the Commonwealth Treasury.

Click here to read Bonnie's story

Dr Diane Bull

Dr Diane Bull

Caring for the people who care 

After more than 30 years immersed in the practice, scholarship and teaching of psychology, Australian of the Year nominee, Dr Diane Bull is most proud of the close relationships she has nurtured with her colleagues and students.

Click here to read Diane's story

Karen Minto

Karen Minto

Using people skills to facilitate better outcomes for the Central Coast 

As a young girl, Karen Minto wanted to work in a career where she could help to solve problems. Today, the State government senior officer is making use of her skills and knowledge to help drive solutions and better outcomes for the Central Coast.

Click here to read Karen's story

Tim Lynar

Tim Lynar

Researching ways to limit waste and energy use in IT

Finding ways to limit the energy consumption of information technology innovations is at the heart of Timothy Lynar's work with IBM Research.

Kazuma Honda

Kazuma Honda

Fostering a sense of belonging for better health outcomes

Encouraging a sense of belonging in nursing students is at the heart of Kazuma Honda's work as a clinical professional, and of his research as a Prime Minister's Endeavour Awards scholar.

Click here to read Kazuma's story

Jane McWilliam

Jane McWilliam


Embracing the transformative power of change 

Embracing change and driving herself to rise to new challenges, has defined the career of human resources professional, Jane McWilliam who has spent more than 30 years working in the local electricity industry.

Click here to read Jane's story

Ibtihal Samarayi

Ibtihal Samarayi

Creative use of management skills

Ginny Gallegos likes to 'think outside the box'. Using the business knowledge and skills she gained from her university studies, Ginny is helping to manage and grow an international award-winning Central Coast creative agency. Ibtihal

Click here to read Ibtihal's story

Ginny Gallegos

Ginny Gallegos

Creative use of management skills

Ginny Gallegos likes to 'think outside the box'. Using the business knowledge and skills she gained from her university studies, Ginny is helping to manage and grow an international award-winning Central Coast creative agency.

Click here to read Ginny's story

Ben Wiggins

Ben Wiggins

Giving children the right tools to succeed in life

Ben Wiggins is driven to be a positive influence in the lives of the young children that he teaches, providing them with the foundations in learning that will last a lifetime.

Click here to read Ben's story

Erin Taylor

Erin Taylor

Driven to improve oral health for Indigenous kids

Erin Taylor is the first in her family to complete a university qualification. Now the Oral Health Therapist wants to use her skills to establish a charity to improve the dental health of Indigenous children.

Click here to read Erin's story

Kylie Nowalinski

Kylie Nowalinski

Inspiring a love of learning

Fostering a life-long love of literature and learning in her students, is the focus of University of Newcastle medallist Kylie Nowalinski, who is helping to grow the minds of secondary students on the Central Coast.

Click here to read Kylie's story

Karen Dimmock

Karen Dimmock

Age is no barrier to studying your passion

Age is no barrier to pursuing a passion. This has been the motto of Central Coast grandmother Karen Dimmock, who came to university studies at a time in life when others may begin to think of slowing down.

Click here to read Karen's story

Belinda Thompson

Belinda Thompson

Harnessing the power of exercise to change lives

Belinda Thompson has seized the opportunity to gain a tertiary education later in life, and is now researching ways to use exercise to improve lower back pain as part of her PhD studies.

Click here to read Belinda's story

Mandi Palmer

Mandi Palmer

Whetting appetites with science

Working behind the scenes for some of the world's biggest food companies, Mandi Palmer has combined her love of food science and nutrition to create a dynamic career that has her creating products to help feed the world.

Click here to read Mandi's story

Ron McGregor

Ron McGregor

Education is the key to better work-life balance

University study has given Central Coast marketing and event management expert Ron McGregor greater freedom when it comes to balancing the demands of his growing business and his desire to spend more time with

Click here to read Ron's story

Carli Westmore

Carli Westmore

Education pathways lead to dream career in health

CJ Westmore is testament to the adage that with hard work and commitment you can achieve any goal. After finishing up her schooling early without year 12 high school qualifications, CJ found her future at university, and is now working in her dream job as a doctor.

Click here to read Carli's story

Jennifer Mankelow

Jennifer Mankelow

Better health begins with good oral health

Helping adults and children to find a better quality of life, by taking care of their oral health, is the professional focus of Golden Scaler Award winner Jennifer Mankelow.

Click here to read Jennifer's story

Vincent Candrawinata

Vincent Candrawinata

Passionate about improving the value of our food

The apple juice of tomorrow may be better for us, and generate more profits for producers thanks to the work of Vincent Candrawinata and researchers who are part of a ground-breaking Central Coast research partnership.

Click here to read Vincent's story

Annie Vanderwyk

Annie Vanderwyk

Ensuring need for change is not lost in translation

Helping to overcome cultural differences, to facilitate better outcomes for Aboriginal people and whole communities, is the focus of Annie Vanderwyk's ground-breaking work with the Australian Red Cross.

Click here to read Annie's story

Eleanore Turvey

Eleanore Turvey

Building a career in caring, one step at a time

Caring for the foot and lower limb health of the community, while focussing on the development of the next generation of podiatrists, is at the heart of Eleanore Turvey's work as a clinical professional.

Click here to read Eleanore's story

Jaculin Perceval

Jaculin Perceval

Fear is no barrier to single mum's success

Jaculin Perceval overcame a phobia of needles, to graduate as one of the top nursing students in her university cohort. But for the single mother, her greatest achievement is how her success has inspired her children

Click here to read Jaculin's story