Country Education Foundation of Australia Manager of Partnerships, Hilary Matchett, second from the left, with CEF alumni, from left to right, Matthew Moorse, Kadee Gerhard-Scali and Laura Mannes, who are studying at Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga.
The Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEF) has made it possible for dozens of aspiring country university students to experience a university campus, with a fully subsidised trip to Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga as part of its Explore Day on Tuesday 19th March.
Twenty-five students, including four from Parkes High School, four from Forbes High School and four from Red Bend Catholic College in Forbes, took advantage of the opportunity given to them by the CEF, which covered their costs for transport, accommodation, and meals, thanks to funding from its partnership with Charles Sturt University.
Students were collected from Parkes, Forbes, Grenfell, Young and Cootamundra and transported to Wagga Wagga to learn about the university, the courses it offers, and the benefits of studying in a regional area.
CEF Manager of Partnerships Hilary Matchett, who organised the trip, said its aim was to build motivation and aspiration for students from targeted areas and to keep them engaged with exploring their tertiary study opportunities.
“It is important to deliver these sorts of opportunities for students in our regions, as with the rising cost of living, travelling to university events, such as an Explore Day, can have many barriers for a regional student,” she said.
“Students thoroughly enjoyed seeing learning facilities, learning about application processes, accommodation and scholarships, going on campus tours and hearing from current students about studying at a regional university.”
The university’s partnership with CEF demonstrated its commitment to improving access to university for rural and regional students.