Southern Cross University graduation

More than 400 students will be present to receive their awards during Southern Cross University's graduation ceremonies at the Lismore Campus on Saturday (April 16).

Four graduation ceremonies covering the Divisions of Arts, Business and Health and Applied Sciences will be held this Saturday, with a further three graduation ceremonies to be held on Saturday, April 23.

A total of 692 awards will be presented in person or in absentia on Saturday by the University Chancellor the Honourable John Dowd AO QC. Awards to be conferred include Bachelors and Masters degrees, Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Business Administration degrees, and Diplomas and Graduate Diplomas.

University medals for outstanding academic achievement and First-class Honours will be awarded at the April 16 ceremonies to:
• Carolyne Lewis from Rous Mill, who will graduate with BVA(Hons)
• Nigel Hayes from Nimbin, who will graduate with BA(Hons)
• Alison Graham from Sydney, who will graduate with BContemp. Music, LLB (Hons)
• Susan Higginson from Lismore, who will graduate with a LLB(Hons)
• Richard Stewart from Tamworth, who will graduate with LLB (Hons)
• Kim Adams from Yamba, who will graduate with BBusTour(Hons)
• Leon Ludwig from Kyogle, who will graduate with BEd(Hons)
• Astra Jerebine from Byron Bay area, who will graduate with BEd(Hons)
• Martin Robson from Byron Bay, who will graduate with BSocSc(Hons)

Each ceremony will be preceded by a formal academic procession including official guests, academics and invited speakers. The Occasional speakers for Saturday ceremonies are:

9am: Division of Arts – School of Arts and School of Law and Justice
The Honourable Justice Terry Sheahan A0, Judge of the Land and Environment Court of NSW and President of the New South Wales Workers Compensation Commission.

11.30am: Division of Business – School of Commerce and Management and School of Tourism and Hospitality Management
The Right Honourable Ian Sinclair AC.

3pm: Division of Arts – School of Education
Dr Deanna Hoermann, Manager School Leadership and Development Unit, Professional Learning and Leadership Directorate, New South Wales Department of Education and Training

5.30pm: Division of Business – School of Social Sciences; Division of Health and Applied Sciences – College of Indigenous Australian Peoples
Professor Ken Wyatt AM, Director Centre for Aboriginal Health, NSW Department of Health.

Among the graduating students on April 16 will be Aliza Bolsius and Sophia Beresford-Cane, both graduating with a Bachelor of Business in Tourism, who survived the Boxing Day tsunami near Phuket. The two students were in Phuket undertaking the work placement component of their degree.

Mark McDonell will graduate with Southern Cross University's first PhD in Law on April 16.

Several industry and specialist prizes will be presented on the day including:
The Stone and Partners prize to Alison Graham for the best academic performance in Bachelor of Laws with Honours; the John and Sheilagh Kaske Memorial Fellowship to Natalya Garden-Thompson for the graduating student with the most outstanding performance in the visual arts; and the Bundjalung Prize (shared) to Christopher Binge and Jacquie Welch for a graduating student from a course coordinated by the SCU College of Indigenous Australian People with significant contribution to communities located in Bundjalung lands.