Graduation speech 2008 - by Paula Bennell
Deputy Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, members of the University, ladies and gentlemen thank you for sharing this special day with us. To all of my fellow graduates, congratulations on making it to this significant milestone! I am honoured to speak on your behalf as well as for our friend Joel, who should have been with us today.
It is likely that at the time of making the decision to study Veterinary Science, Dentistry or another degree, each of us was naive to what the many years at university would entail – our focus was on the goal rather than the journey. However, what a journey it has been!
For many, this journey began not with our first day of lectures but rather with leaving home – leaving family, friends and also, our comfort zone. For myself, studying Veterinary Science at the prestigious University of Melbourne required moving more than 3000 km from my rural home in North Queensland – other graduates have come from locations all over the world. This in itself is one of the many sacrifices we have had to make to follow our dreams.
So what did our first day of lectures entail? I remember walking back to college after our first anatomy lesson trying to sort out those four very confusing terms – lateral, medial, ventral and dorsal, which describe different aspects of the body. It is amazing to look back at those very small first steps we took and really appreciate how far we’ve come. Perhaps in just a few years from now we will again look back and realise that graduation itself is just a small stepping stone on the way to something much greater!
I don’t think anyone would disagree if I sum up our early years as a blur of rote learning and dissection pracs interspersed with the occasional ‘Friday thing’ to unwind and regain sanity. Despite our keenness to leave behind those gruelling subjects and progress on to ‘real’ cases, we must remember and recognise the dedicated teachers who encouraged us to develop the solid foundations which underlie our knowledge today.
The transition from learning theory to clinical training was a significant event in our veterinary studies and no doubt the dentists went through a similar exciting process. No longer were our lab coats accessorised with lab goggles but rather, brand new stethoscopes which proudly swung from each of our necks – finally we looked like vets!
Other more important differences included having patients to care for, responsibility, night shifts, and for most, gradually accepting Werribee as home. These experiences not only drew us together as a year level but also gave us the unique opportunity to get to know our lecturers on a more personal level than most other faculties. Who else would have seen their lecturers stumble through the door – coffee in hand – at 2am in the morning and spend the next couple of hours attempting to retrieve multiple barbeque skewers from the stomach of a cheeky Jack Russell? I can only wonder what exciting things dentists do out-of-hours!
To all of the dedicated lecturers and clinicians, we hold you in great esteem – the knowledge you possess and skill with which you serve your patients has inspired us to learn as much as we can, in order that we too can offer a very high standard of veterinary care. We hope that in return you have been rewarded by watching us grow.
An honourable mention must also go to the many academic associates who welcomed us into their practices and provided us with vital hands-on experience; to Professor Hinchcliff and Professor Caple, the two fantastic Deans during our time, and to all of the other staff of the Veterinary Faculty and wider University community.
On behalf of the dentists and other graduates, I’d like to further extend my sincere thanks to all of the academic and administrative staff who were instrumental in today's graduates' professional development.
We, the graduates here today, are united by one very important factor – we could not have made it through the long and sometimes tedious years leading up to today’s ceremony without a strong support network. Partners, parents, other family members and friends, we can’t thank you enough for your steadfast belief in us and your continued support.
Once more – congratulations to all of my fellow graduates. We are now officially part of a privileged minority having received an exceptional education, from elite professionals in their field, at this world renowned University. Because of this, we can leave here today confident that we have knowledge and skills to be successful in our chosen careers. I wish each of you all the very best for the future.
Thank you.