Studying with my own people at Curtin made my academic journey enjoyable

This is my CAS journey. I commenced studying at Curtin in 1994 until 2005. During this time I first completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in 1996 and at the end of those three years gained the Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni award. I then continued with 18 other students as the first intake to a new degree offered to Aboriginal people to obtain a Master Degree in research in 1997. I did this degree part time, graduating in 2005. That Master degree provided the grounding academic skills I needed to venture into doing my Doctorate later. I graduated with my Doctorate Degree in February this year (2017) at an interstate university. It was the learning environment and studying with my own people at Curtin that made my academic journey enjoyable, with familiar and not alienated surroundings and one’s own people. I choose an interstate university because it offered the same style of CAS educational environment. Therefore, CAS, I have the academic rewards of two degrees from you that gave me many opportunities in my professional journey – not only in WA, but in national and international forums. Also the scholarly skills to achieve the highest degree in a Western educational institution… the Doctor of Philosophy Degree.