Amelia Smart

"For me, graduating is seeing a childhood dream come to fruition, and I couldn’t be happier to have achieved that dream in a place like this.”

My memories of Flinders University span back through my childhood. My Mum completed a degree in Child and Family Health when I was very young, and I remember visiting the campus with her in the early 2000s. I was amazed by the scale of the library, I had never seen so many books in one place, and from that moment I was hooked – I wanted to be a Flinders student.

Soon, it will be my turn to graduate from Flinders.

Over the last four years I have gained the necessary skills and qualifications to pursue a career in my chosen field, but there has been much more to my journey at Flinders than simply obtaining a degree. My lecturers and tutors, specifically in the Education and Humanities departments, have been nothing but supportive, particularly in the early stages of my degree and in the final few months when stresses were running at an all-time high.

Clare McCarty was a standout lecturer in my very first semester, instilling a sense of confidence in myself and those around me who were still finding their footing in a new world. Other tutors and lecturers including Yvonne Oxenberry, Katherine Swain, Antonella Strambi, Grahame Tulloch, Jillian Huntley and Lesley Henderson all left a lasting impression on me through their enthusiasm, passion in their fields, and ongoing encouragement for learning.

Perhaps the most profound thing I take away from my time at Flinders, is the lasting relationships I have established with my peers and now, colleagues. While I didn’t necessarily fit the mould of a highly social university student, I was still able to find a collective of similar minded people who have shared in the lows and highs of my time at Flinders. I have made lifelong connections with people who share my philosophy and passion for education, and who have supported me throughout my degree.

For me, attending Flinders has been a lifestyle. Studying by the lake, hiking up to the back carpark (now fondly known as Siberia), finding the best spots to eat, sleep and study on campus (chips and gravy will always be my go-to food), learning how to snag the best computers in the library, and building friendships with other students and faculty staff – each and every one of these things has become a part of my daily life. While I may not miss the long nights of reading, writing and producing assignments, I will miss being a Flinders student, and all that that entails. For me, graduating is seeing a childhood dream come to fruition, and I couldn’t be happier to have achieved that dream in a place like this.