Thousands of CDU students to graduate this month

More than 2,000 Charles Darwin University (CDU) students will graduate this week as a part of the first-round of 2022 graduation ceremonies in the Territory.

Graduating students will be recognised for completing a range of degrees with 1,055 in Higher Education, 1,039 in Vocational Education and Training and 16 PHD graduates.

Graduates from a range of disciplines including business and law, nursing and midwifery, health and human sciences, Indigenous futures, education and the arts and engineering, IT and the environment will mark the success of their academic journey across three ceremonies.

Bachelor of Nursing Graduate Charlotte Mwaka Balu will deliver the student address speech at one of the ceremonies and will speak about her incredible journey and the support services she received from CDU.  

Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ms Mwaka Balu, her mother and three children fled to the Republic of Malawi after the loss of several family members. 

They spent time at the Dzaleka Refugee camp before resettling in the Northern Territory in 2013.

As a single parent and wanting to be a good role model for her children, Ms Mwaka Balu decided to return to study and has since completed Certificates in English, English for Further Education, Aged Care, disability, Home and Community Care and Mental Health before undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing.

With dreams of becoming a mental health nurse and continuing with further study, Ms Mwaka Balu said graduating is a dream come true.

“Graduating is a big achievement for me, and I am very much looking forward to the ceremony. I have had to overcome a lot of trauma in my life and as a single mum I had to balance looking after my kids with my study as well as working, which wasn’t easy,” Ms Mwaka Balu said.

“I would often complete my assessments alongside my children who were doing their schoolwork so that I could be a role model to them. My kids call me hero mum.”

“My academic journey has given me a sense of belonging and I look forward to giving back and contributing more to the mental health sector as well as undertaking further study down the track,” she said.

On giving the student address Ms Mwaka Balu said she is incredibly proud and honoured.

“Giving the student address is an opportunity to tell my story but it also shows that people have seen the hard work that I have put in which is very important to me," she said. 

"Hopefully my story will inspire everyone to be positive, and to work hard toward their futures.”

CDU Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman said graduation ceremonies are an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work and successes of CDU’s students.

“I am delighted to see so many students graduating this week, it is a significant milestone in their academic journey, and I congratulate all graduates on successfully completing their studies,” Professor Bowman said.

“All of us here at CDU are thrilled to have been able to play an important role in the education of our graduates and they will continue to be an important part of the University’s identity.  I know they will go on to have wonderful careers.”

CDU Graduation ceremonies will be held at the Darwin Convention Centre this Wednesday April 6 and Thursday April 7.

Further graduation ceremonies will be held across the year in Alice Springs on June 16.