Jacob Van Der Heul is a lone male in the current cohort of nursing students doing their final year at UOW Bega.
And he's enjoying every minute of it.
Jacob was among a host of University of Wollongong students to be presented with scholarships in a recent ceremony at the campus attended by students, family members and sponsors.
He transferred to the Bega campus to complete his bachelor of nursing qualifications after starting a double degree in nursing and paramedicine at ACU in Canberra.
"It's enjoyable. They are really lovely people here and very helpful," he said.
"There's a great community-based spirit."
While he's loving his time at the Bega campus, one drawback was the need to travel out of the area for work placement.
Jacob is about to take on a five-week placement in the busy emergency department at Shoalhaven Hospital, Nowra.
"All the students have to travel for placement," he said.
"In Canberra there were lots of placement options within 30 minutes' drive from the hospital, but here we're placed wherever is available."
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As such, Jacob was grateful for the scholarship money.
"It's $1000 - it all helps.
"I had to get an AirBnB for five weeks in Nowra."
While the placement may take him further afield, Bega clearly has its attractions. Jacob has already applied for a new graduate position as a registered nurse at the South East Regional Hospital.
He will learn in late October whether that application is successful.
"We need more males in the profession.
"Nursing is traditionally female-dominated. In Canberra there were more males doing the course, but not as much down here."
University of Wollongong academic awards
Deans Merit - top 5 per cent of students across their faculty
Adrian Pittman - Bachelor of Arts
Helen Robinson - Bachelor of Nursing
Outstanding academic achievement awards
Susan Findlay - 4th in Business communications
Shaun Fitzpatrick - 9th in Introduction to Management
Luke Albanese - 5th in Introduction to Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Timothy Burke - 2nd in War and Society; 6th in Indigeneity in the Contemporary World
Angela Fletcher - 7th in Happiness: Investigating its causes and conditions
Emily Hocking - 6th in Indigeneity in the Contemporary World; 8th in Happiness: Investigating its causes and conditions
Sophie Kearns Holman - 4th in Indigeneity in the Contemporary World; 4th in Happiness: Investigating its causes and conditions
Marian Manning - 4th in Indigeneity in the Contemporary World; 8th in The Romantics
Jennifer Manyweathers - 5th in Understanding Adolescence: Creating Supportive Learning Environments
Rebecca McGuire - 5th in Literacy and the Literate Person
Rory Munt - 5th in Australian Studies: Cultures and Identities
Zoe Pentin - 10th in Indigeneity in the Contemporary World
Adrian Pittman - 2nd in Happiness: Investigating its Causes and Conditions; 4th in The Romantics; 8th in Introduction to Social Theory
Kaycee West - 2nd in Research and Indigenous Communities; 6th in Australian Studies: Cultures and Identities; 6th in Animals and Ecology in Literature and Film
Georgia Alexander - 3rd in Workplace Experience 1
Sarah Buckle - 4th in Workplace Experience 3; 5th in Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nurses; 8th in Evidence Based Practice; 9th in Acute Care Nursing
Mirri Dalziel - 5th in Fundamentals of Nursing; 10th in Workplace Experience 1
Vanessa Haigh - 9th in Fundamentals of Nursing
Renee Isle - 3rd in Acute Care Nursing; 7th in Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nurses
Kirrilly Jahnsen - 6th in Evidence Based Practice
Jenny Jeffrey - 7th in Workplace Experience 3
Taylor Jones - 9th in Fundamentals of Nursing; 10th in Anatomy and Physiology for Nurses
Jade Matthews - 10th in Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nurses
Samala Morgan - 9th in Clinical Excellence
Jessica Richards - 6th in Evidence Based Practice
Helen Robinson - 5th in Fundamentals of Nursing; 5th in Nursing as a Profession
Ashleigh Sant - 5th in Fundamentals of Nursing; 9th in Nursing as a Profession; 10th in Anatomy and Physiology for Nurses; 10th in Workplace Experience 1
Samantha Trewin - 10th in Acute Care Nursing
Claire Wilson - 6th in Evidence Based Practice; 7th in Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nurses; 9th in Acute Care Nursing.
Community Scholarship recipients
Dr Blomfield Memorial Nursing Scholarships - Georgia Alexander; Carly Bremner; Ellie Grant; Dianne Jerrard; Amy Preston; Mikayla Shaw; Sophie Stewart; Emma Tasker; Jacob Van Der Heul; Tanya Waites.
Bega RSL Sub Branch Christine Farrow Nursing Scholarship: Sophie Fraser
Bega Cheese Community Scholarship: Chelsea Reeve
Mumbulla Foundation Community Scholarships Undergraduate: Sarah Buckle; Jana Hoffman; Stephanie Merton; Zoe Pentin; Lucinda Thurston
Mumbulla Foundation Community Scholarship Postgraduate: Colby Gray-Balcomb
Tathra Lions Club Nursing Scholarship: Mirri Dalziel
Bega Community Fund: Charlotte Smith-Bull; Renee Shepherd
Rotary Club of Pambula John Moffatt Postgraduate Scholarship: Hannah Abraham; Rosalie Munro
Destination Australia Scholarship recipients 2022: Kristy Redding; Chloe Garrs; Bethels Njoku; Kelsie Kelly
Recovery Camp Scholarship: Stephanie Merton
Ben Smyth
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
