Among the 46 students recognised with an award at the ANMF ceremony were four outstanding La Trobe Rural Health School (LRHS) Bachelor of Nursing students:
- Claire Mangan – Bendigo Campus
- Bionda Pettigrew – Shepparton Campus
- Elly Mae Witte – Albury Wodonga Campus
- James Heberte – Mildura Campus
‘It was an absolute honour to have been nominated,’ said Elly Mae Witte. ‘My biggest inspiration would be my Mum, Marianne, who was also a nurse. I have fond memories of how much she loved her job and how rewarded she seemed at the end of each day.’
Students were nominated based on their academic results, as well as attributes such as diligence, leadership, and communication skills. ‘Common themes were the students’ passion, dedication, and empathy,’ the ANMF said.
Of her experience on the Shepparton campus, Bionda Pettigrew said, ‘It didn’t matter what age we were, what cultural background we came from, or what our personal interests were. We were all there because we wanted to care for people, and that common factor brought us together.’
For Bendigo’s Claire Mangan, it wasn’t just the nursing knowledge she has gained, but the leadership skills gained throughout her degree that she values most highly:
‘I feel very inspired to get out into the nursing arena and give it my all; to be able to make an impact within the nursing profession. This award acknowledges how far I have come.’
Acting Head of School, Associate Professor Melanie Bish said the awards were ‘indicative of the calibre of students we have in the regions and testament to the outstanding experience provided by a passionate nursing team.’
‘There’s a bunch of great support on campus,’ agreed Mildura’s James Heberte. ‘I can go up to one of my teachers and say, “Hey I’m having trouble with this, what can you do to help me?” – and they are super receptive.’
Congratulations to all our regional award winners, along with Caleb Wilfrid Beilharz and Sunday Weichmann who are studying Nursing and Midwifery at our Melbourne (Bundoora) campus.
