Australia Day award for student's success over major adversity

Feb 7th, 2007

	Kate Morphett (centre) is pictured at the awards ceremony flanked by Ann Baxter (left) and Ivy Edwards. Ivy is the President of the Australian Federation of University Women (NSW)

On Thursday 25 January, Kate Morphett from the Faculty of Education was awarded a prestigious Australia Day Award at Parliament House in Sydney. The award, an initiative of the National Council of Women NSW, provides practical assistance in post graduate studies to deserving young women in diverse fields of study.

The faculty of education was asked to nominate a student who had overcome a hardship during their studies (financial, emotional, physical, etc.) and still achieved successful results. The successful nominee would receive a $1000 award sponsored by Australian Federation of University Women (AFUW).

The faculty of education was proud to nominate Kate for this award. Kate had been an excellent student throughout the 2006 Graduate Diploma in Education program, during which she committed herself whole-heartedly to her studies and generously gave service to the wider community.

Whilst undertaking her Graduate Diploma in Education during 2006, Kate developed Hodgkin's Lymphoma for which she has been undergoing treatment during the second half of this year. Kate's treatment made her very ill which meant that she needed to postpone the completion of her Graduate Diploma until the beginning of 2007 when she will complete her final practicum. During this time, her personal strength, positive attitude and genuine concern for others has been outstanding.

Kate attended the Australia day luncheon with her family and UoW representative Ann Baxter where she received her award from Ivy Edwards, President of the Australian Federation of University Women.