Graduation day, 14th April 2011 was an important day for Shepparton Campus Director Elizabeth Lavender and her family.  Ms Lavender graduated with a Doctor of Education along with her son, Peter, who received a Graduate Diploma in Education (Middle Years) and a Bachelor of Business, completing a family of La Trobe University graduates.

Transcript

Narrator:

Thursday 14 April 2011 marked an important day for Shepparton Campus Director Elizabeth Lavender and her family. Ms Lavender graduated with a Doctor of Education along with her son, Peter, who received a Graduate Diploma in Education (Middle Years) and a Bachelor of Business, completing a family of La Trobe University graduates.

Liz Lavender:

The most special thing and something I have been looking forward to for so long, and I didn't actually think I'd make it is, was that my son Peter has been a student here and we were able to graduate together. We've both been studying for quite a long time and it was a great moment for both of us.

Peter Lavender:

It's very exciting, I'd actually forgotten that dad had graduated as well and I'd remembered my sister had graduated from La Trobe so it's probably a little strange to have four people come through one institution.

Narrator:

Dr Lavender joined the University when the Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences became part of La Trobe in 1988. She says she is privileged to have worked in nursing education at the Melbourne, Albury-Wodonga, and Bendigo campuses. Before Dr Lavender's current role as Director of La Trobe's Shepparton Campus, she served as Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Health Sciences for six years.

Liz Lavender:

La Trobe has been very good to me and, you know it's been quite a varied journey over the years.

Narrator:

Adam Kitungano, one of the 74 graduates received a Bachelor of Educational Studies degree, and is grateful for the community support he received while studying.

Adam Kitungano:

Shepparton has a long history of multiculturalism, it's a good place for people like myself coming from African background, refugee background to work and live in because there is support from the local community and that's one of the greatest things about Shepparton.

Peter Lavender:

La Trobe's a great University, the teachers are wonderful and they provide a great deal of support for us especially here in Shepparton. The facilities that they've got up hear now are fantastic, so I think if you are looking at choosing a University, La Trobe Shepparton would be a great choice.

Narrator:

Dr Lavender continues to advocate higher education for regional students, and sees the University's presence in Shepparton as one of great importance.

Liz Lavender:

I think higher education in Shepparton is of fundamental importance, it gives access to students who probably otherwise couldn't go to University. We actually did a survey a few years ago of our students and we found that most of the students who studied at Shepparton studied here because in fact they can't go anywhere else because they've got family commitments or financial reasons they cant go to Melbourne, so it really provides a great opportunity for local people to study at a great University.

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