精东传媒app

Helping others in any way possible is Ben Andreas’ lifelong passion.

Now, with a Bachelor of Nursing from the 精东传媒app of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), he’s turning that passion into a career.

A proud Toowoomba local and Downlands College graduate, Ben chose UniSQ to pursue his studies close to home.

Thanks to the support of the MacIntyre Wind Farm and Sister Elizabeth Kenny Memorial Scholarships, Ben’s academic journey at UniSQ is a chapter he holds close to his heart.

Now part of the Perioperative Introduction Program at a Toowoomba hospital, Ben is well on his way to realising his dream of becoming a theatre nurse, where he can be a strong advocate for patients during surgery.

We caught up with Ben to hear about his inspiring journey.

Congratulations on your recent graduation! Take us back to the beginning. How did you decide to study with UniSQ?

You were awarded two separate scholarships. Could you tell us what being awarded the MacIntyre Wind Farm Scholarship meant to you?

Being awarded the MacIntyre Wind Farm Scholarship was incredibly helpful and I was very honoured. I was able to express how importing nursing is for me. I was also able to use the scholarship to help me get through my unpaid nursing placements, without any financial stress, which allowed me to focus purely on my studies.

Could you also tell us what being awarded the Sister Elizabeth Kenny Memorial Scholarship meant to you?

Being awarded the Sister Elizabeth Kenny Memorial Scholarship was very special to me because I felt as though my values and morals aligned with Sister Elizabeth Kenny’s. I see myself as a confident, empathetic, and reliable professional nurse. Through learning about person-centred care and how much of a difference it makes towards not just the patient, but towards their family as well. This has made me understand the importance of being a professional nurse, knowing that I will be able to have a positive effect on these people’s lives through high-quality care, and being compassionate makes me motivated, content, and proud.

What would you say if you could thank the donors first-hand?

I would express my deepest gratitude and thankfulness for the scholarships. Receiving them was an incredible honour, and the support I received made a significant impact on my university experience and my studies. From spending weeks at a time on un-paid placements and earning a low income due to full time study, I was able to focus on my education without severe financial stress.Due to the donor’s generosity, I could dedicate myself fully to my learning and clinical placements, and for that, I am beyond grateful and incredibly appreciative. I want the donors to know how much their generosity has positively impacted my studies. I hope these awards and scholarships will continue to assist students like me in achieving their career goals.

What did you achieve with the help of the scholarships?

The scholarships allowed me to focus primarily on my academic studies and clinical placements without extreme financial stress. Therefore, by being able to get through these month-long placement blocks through the aid and generosity of the donors, I was able to dedicate myself fully to the content and placement experiences.

Finally, Ben, what are your goals for the future?

My goal for the future is to continue being a safe, caring, and eager Nurse. Since successfully graduating, I have been appointed a new job, in a Perioperative Introduction Program. I have been able to achieve my lifelong career goal of becoming a theatre nurse, where I can care for patients during one of their most vulnerable moments – when they are asleep during surgery. Advocating for my patients while they have surgery inspires me and is incredibly important to me because the patients can’t advocate for themselves.

Learn more about UniSQ Scholarships.