The UniSA Mount Gambier Campus held its annual Aboriginal Families Community Information Day last week, supported by Timberlink.
The event was the second of its kind and aimed to encourage members of the Aboriginal community to learn more about the opportunities available to them at UniSA.
The day’s festivities included a welcome to country by Aunty Michelle Jacquelin-Furr, a smoking ceremony by Uncle Doug Nicholls, a painting by Belinda Bonney, information tables about UniSA programs and catered lunch.
UniSA Mount Gambier Campus Aboriginal student and community engagement officer Gilbert Rigney said the Aboriginal students in attendance could find out more information on degrees in social work, education, nursing, midwifery, foundation studies and the Aboriginal Pathway Program (APP).
“The Aboriginal pathways is specifically for Aboriginal people and community; it offers the gateway into university to support them with gaining a GPA score to enter into those bachelor degrees so it is a stepping stone into a degree,” Mr Rigney said.
“It’s all Aboriginal students and there are some family members that are attending together and extended family members in the classroom and the relationship they have with the staff that coordinates the program is amazing.
“As a part of my role and what I enjoy is working between community and the academic staff so I think that’s so important because I feel that I am the key to introducing our community to the academic staff and vice versa.”
