It was hats off to University of South Australia Mount Gambier Campus graduates on Friday, who celebrated the special milestone of completing their degrees.

The graduates proudly crossed the stage at Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre to receive their certificates and commence the next chapter in their lives.

University of South Australia Mount Gambier regional manager Ian McKay expressed the importance of celebrating Mount Gambier campus graduates.

“Our annual UniSA Mount Gambier Campus Graduation Day is one of the highlights of our year with students who have been studying with us for three, four or more years fulfilling their dream celebrating the formal end of their studies,” Mr McKay said.

“This year almost 50 students in degrees as diverse as education, health, social work, psychology and business walked across the stage at Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre to have their degree conferred by the Chancellor of the university.

“Mount Gambier Campus is proud that our graduating students all gain employment in their chosen career with most being employed in our region, which is a significant contribution to our community.”

University of South Australia Chancellor Pauline Carr was extremely proud of the UniSA Mount Gambier campus graduates.

“The thing that really stands out as they come across the stage is their immense pride and their immense joy in having completed something special,” Ms Carr said.

“I understand most of them have been employed locally which is great, so it is wonderful to be able to produce job-ready graduates that can be assimilated and absorbed by the community to fulfil a real community need immediately.

“Education is truly transformative; it provides so many opportunities.”

Ms Carr said the graduates had devoted lots of hard work to their studies and it was important to celebrate their outstanding achievements.

“It is a transition period from a student to becoming a productive member of society and giving back to society and it is symbolic in so many ways,” she said.

“One of the great things about having graduation ceremonies locally is the families can participate in it and they can see it first-hand.

“It is a wonderful day, I love coming down here, we have had some amazing support from some wonderful local dignitaries, local families like the Cowans who have been very long-term supporters of UniSA.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington AO was excited for the graduates and what their future held.

“The key theme is really one of inspiration; the graduates inspire us because they use really innovative ways of thinking to bring really good solutions to grow the community,” Ms Hughes-Warrington said.

“They also demonstrated how much they care for one another and how much the community cares for one another.

“A good idea is a powerful idea when it is backed by care and Mount Gambier really, really demonstrates that.

“Post-COVID restrictions, it is nice for everybody to bring everybody that has mattered to them, but also on this day to remember the people that cannot be with them.

“One of the lovely things about graduation is seeing all the children that come, when I see every baby and I see every child that comes onto a university campus or into a graduation, I see a future graduate.

“A message to all the families out there, no matter how little your little one is, we look forward to seeing them cross the stage.”

Ms Hughes-Warrington said graduation was major celebration of all the graduates’ hard work coming to fruition.

“It is really true that a university degree is the one thing that makes the biggest difference to the health and prosperity of both individuals and their community,” she said.

“Every graduate that walks over that stage makes Mount Gambier smarter, stronger, and caring, that is what it represents for us and that is why we have a celebration because it means so much to everybody.

“I just look at that and think this city has got such a bright future.

“Mount Gambier is a really innovative city, it uses a lot of technology across forestry, across care, across education but the thing that makes it really work is the fact that people look out for one another and care for one another, that is such a dynamic combination.

“It is our job to remind everybody across broader South Australia how special Mount Gambier is.”