OVER 450 students will graduate from James Cook University in Cairns today, Tuesday 19 March.
JCU Vice Chancellor Professor Simon Biggs said all graduates should be immensely proud of their achievements.
“This is a special time for our graduates, marking the end of their academic journey at JCU and the beginning of a new chapter filled with exciting opportunities,” he said.
Students from the College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, the College of Medicine and Dentistry, and the College of Healthcare Sciences will graduate in a ceremony beginning at 1pm at the Cairns Convention Centre.
Students from the College of Arts, Society and Education, the College of Business, Law and Governance and the College of Science and Engineering will graduate at the same venue at 5.30pm.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait graduates will be presented with a JCU Cultural Sash prior to each graduation ceremony.
Chris Cavanagh is an Indigenous Cairns local who completed the Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree in 2023 and will graduate today.
He splits his work week across a private dental practice in Cairns and the community-controlled Aboriginal Health Organisation Wuchopperen Health Service.
“My family come from the Cairns area, and I have my own family here now, so I was always looking at working here after graduation. I feel very blessed to be able to work on Country,” said Dr Cavanagh.
“Working in both private practice and at Wuchopperen feels like getting the best of both worlds. I’ve enjoyed getting a taste of private clinic work while also getting to impact the health of my community.
“My first job out of high school was working in medical admin at Wuchopperen. It’s a nice sense of achievement to return as a dentist; I feel very proud. I certainly wasn’t thinking back then that I’d be here now in this role.”
Professor Biggs said each graduate has made sacrifices and put in the hard work and dedication needed to lay the foundation for their future careers.
“To be a part of the celebratory atmosphere and witness the immense pride shown by our many graduates and those who have supported them is truly humbling,” he said.
“We wish them nothing but the best in their future endeavours.”
Keep up with the latest news in Cairns and the Far North, and check out some of our top stories this week: Workshop to help flood victims to thrive and Get crafty these school holidays.
