Ourimbah graduates ready to make their mark

When Matthew Craig crosses the stage during the University of Newcastle’s Ourimbah graduation ceremony this week, he will do so knowing he is graduating ready to make a difference in the lives of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the Central Coast.

Matthew, a proud Bundjalung man born and raised on Darkinjung Country, will graduate tomorrow, Thursday 13 April, with a Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science and said that he looks forward to providing Indigenous representation within psychology.

“I try to connect Indigenous clients with their culture using evidence based Indigenous methods of psychology to make a positive impact.

“I love seeing people grow, and with this degree there’s so much opportunity to do good in the world, and in my community,” reflects Matthew.

He will join over 450 students who will celebrate their study achievements with family and friends when they graduate this week at the University of Newcastle’s Ourimbah campus.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alex Zelinsky, AO said he was immensely proud to celebrate each and every one of the University’s graduating Central Coast students and recognised the significant achievement that marks the culmination of higher education studies.

“Every graduate has had a unique experience and no matter what path they have taken to reach this point, they have all shown dedication, commitment and resilience,” Professor Zelinsky said.

“Our university has been committed to world-class teaching, learning and research at our Ourimbah campus for over 30 years.

“The opening of the Central Coast Clinical School and Central Coast Research Institute in Gosford last year strengthened our bond with the Coast, while our new Gosford Campus will cement our commitment and make a lasting impact by creating more opportunities for young people to study without leaving the Central Coast.

“Most importantly we are committed to ensuring our graduates are community minded, resilient and ready to enter the workforce and make a difference.

“I look forward to seeing what our Central Coast students achieve in the coming years. I also welcome them as they now join our global network of 168,917 alumni who stretch across 153 countries around the globe.”

Graduates will hear from three renowned experts in their field who will deliver the occasion speeches:

• Laura Prael - a University of Newcastle Bachelor of Arts graduate and Director of the Central Coast’s leading content marketing agency, LEP Digital, which she founded in 2015. Over her 16-year career, Ms Prael has led digital campaigns for Google, Sanitarium, NT Tourism, and all levels of government. She is an advocate for women, education, and the environment.
• Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward - CEO of the Australian College of Nursing where she has led a program of transformation, increasing revenue, tripling student numbers and raising awareness of the profession. Adjunct Professor Wardhas forged a highly successful career, becoming one of the most influential professional health leaders in the country. She is also a formidable, passionate advocate for women, children and equality.
• Dr Vincent Candrawinata - founder of Renovatio Bioscience, a technology company that focuses on health and wellness – helping people to be healthier and happier. Dr Candrawinata graduated from the University of Newcastle with an Honours Degree in 2011. He went on to complete a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition. He is a scientist, inventor and entrepreneur.

GRADUATE HIGHLIGHTS

Deborah Sivis | Bachelor Social Science 

After experiencing a family tragedy, Deborah Sivis decided to challenge herself and inspire her teenage sons by pursuing tertiary education.

Being hearing impaired, Deborah sought out and made use of all the support services available at the University through the Academic Learning Support team, as well as AccessAbility for disability support.

Through gaining her degree, Deborah said that she has been given the confidence she needed in herself.

As an advocate for people with disabilities, Deborah said she wanted to inspire anyone who is considering taking the plunge into higher education.

“People don’t understand the barriers for people with a disability, and sometimes you can’t even see that disability. Society judges you in a way, and you think you’re not smart enough," Deborah reflected.

“I think that’s a feeling that a lot of students have when they get to university, not knowing if it’s right for them, or if they should be there.”

“The University of Newcastle has certainly emphasised that I was a lot smarter than I thought I was."

In 2021, Deborah was awarded the Work Integrated Learning award for her work on a Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) finding out what various councils around Australia are doing to implement support for people with disabilities.

When Deborah finished her placement, they were able to continue this project, which she said was important for accessibility across Australia.

“To find out that I got that award, I was speechless, it was the best feeling ever,” Deborah said.

Now working as a disability support worker, Deborah has job satisfaction like she never had before, helping people, and advocating for their wellbeing and support.

Syahirah Binte Abdul Alim | Bachelor of Oral Health with Distinction 

Now ready to make Australia her home, Syahirah Binte Abdul Alim overcame the obstacles that Covid-19 presented to successfully complete the Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy.

After commencing the program in 2019 and settling into the Central Coast, Syahirah had to return to her home country of Singapore when the impacts of the pandemic hit during her second year of study, in March 2020.

Syahirah then embarked on online studies from Singapore through the University of Newcastle, completing all the theory subjects and putting a hold on the clinical component of the program.

Luckily, she had friends in Singapore who were in the same situation, and they provided a network of support and advice when trying to organise how to return to Australia.

“We were all in the same situation, just waiting to see how or when we could fly back, so we went to each other for advice,” Syahirah explained.

Finally returning to the Central Coast for her last year of studies in 2022, Syahirah said that she enjoyed being able to study in person with her classmates.

“The Central Coast was convenient because it’s in the middle of Newcastle and Sydney, so any time I had free I could head to Sydney or Newcastle to check it out,” she said.

“I loved it, I got to go to placement at different hospitals between Sydney, the Central Coast, and Newcastle, so it was nice to see a variety of patients and experience how things work in each of those local health districts.”

Syahirah is looking forward to settling in Australia and is excited for the opportunities to work in oral health.

Matthew Craig | Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science

After experiencing great loss in his community, Matthew Craig was moved to pursue a path that could make a tangible impact in the lives of others.

A proud Bundjalung man born and raised on Darkinjung Country, Matthew decided to study a Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science after losing not only his stepbrother but others in his community to suicide.

After going through his own struggles with mental health, he wanted to understand the problems with the system, why it was failing so many people, and figure out a way to make it better, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in his community.

Matthew found that there was a lack of Indigenous representation within psychology and mental health support, and he was keen to be able to step into that role and provide a much needed service.

“I’m determined to make change happen, and I see so much opportunity to do good in the world with this degree,” he said.

Using skills learned through his studies at university, as well as bringing in his own lived experience to inform his practice, Matthew is working to use Indigenous methodologies in psychology in a clinical setting, as well as embedding that knowledge into research and academia.

In his work in the mental health sector, Matthew engages with a wide variety of clients, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait clients and neurodivergent clients.

“I try to connect Indigenous clients with their culture using evidence-based Indigenous methods of psychology to make a positive impact in their lives,” Matthew said.

Following the completion of his studies, Matthew has also been tutoring psychology subjects at the University of Newcastle, something which he has grown a passion for.

“I dream of becoming an academic, that’s the ultimate goal. I love to see people grow so I feel that’s the path I need to take to become a subject matter expert and be able to help the industry and help others. It’s an ongoing process,” Matthew said.

If you need someone to talk to, please call:

• 13Yarn on 13 92 76
• Yerin on 0243 511 040
• Lifeline on 13 11 14
• Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800
• MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
• Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
• Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
• Headspace on 1800 650 890
• QLife on 1800 184 527

Bradley Young | Master of Exercise Physiology 

Starting his university journey with Open Foundation set Bradley Young up for success in tertiary education, propelling him on through undergraduate and then postgraduate studies.

After completing Open Foundation, Bradley went on to study the Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering but made the change over to the Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science when he lost his dad to cancer.

“I was looking for a way to use exercise to help people, as it was something that really helped me during that time with my own mental health.”

“I saw the benefit of it and wanted to look for a way that I could transfer that experience to be able to help other people,” Bradley reflected.

He is currently working full-time as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, which he was recruited for six months before graduation because of his high achievement during placement.

Bradley said that the best part about his job now is getting to see the surprise on his patients faces when they see how much they gain from exercise therapy.

“I think patients are surprised by how much they gain from exercise. Sometimes they see improvements in such a short period of time, and it’s great to see the happiness that it brings,” he said.

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