Indigenous postgraduates to shine at ceremony 

 
 
Associate Professor Sue Stanton


Ms Robyn Ober

Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) end-of-year graduation ceremony will highlight the academic achievements of numerous students, none more remarkable than those of two Indigenous women.

Sue Stanton a Kungarakan-Gurindji woman will make history as she becomes the first Aboriginal person to receive a Doctorate in Philosophy in Arts (thesis based) from CDU.

Sue first graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (History) from the former Northern Territory University (now CDU) in 1995. Sue was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, which enabled her to complete a Masters (American Indian Studies: Law and Policy – International Indigenous Human Rights Law) from the University of Arizona in 1997.  Sue also completed a Minority Leaders Fellowship at South Western University, Washington DC, whilst an intern in the Office of Reverend Jesse Jackson. On her return to Australia Sue worked in various academic and administrative positions at CDU and the University of Wollongong (UOW), where she is currently an Associate Professor in the School of History and Politics, Faculty of Arts.

On Thursday, 11 October 2007 Sue will give a seminar presentation about her thesis entitled, PhD Journey: The Pursuit of the Holy Grail. The seminar, which is being organised by the Indigenous Academic Support Unit as part of the CDU Indigenous Postgraduate Research Seminar Series, will start at 11am in seminar room (building 30), School of Australian Indigenous Knowledge Systems, CDU’s Casuarina Campus.

Robyn Ober, Djirribal woman from North Queensland, will celebrate the culmination of her postgraduate studies as she prepares to receive a Masters in Applied Linguistics. Robyn will also make history as the first Indigenous woman to receive this award from CDU.

A long time lecturer and researcher with Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, Robyn has recently presented and written about her journey to self empowerment as an Indigenous researcher undertaking research within a ‘both ways’ framework. This presentation was generated from a major research project, Both Ways philosophy to practice.

Over 150 Indigenous people will be eligible to graduate at the ceremony where students will receive formal recognition of successfully completing their studies.

The ceremony, to be held at the Darwin Entertainment Centre on 12 October, will recognise the academic achievements of students from both higher education and VET sectors.

The day before the graduation ceremony the Indigenous Academic Support Unit will put on a luncheon to celebrate the achievements of these two Indigenous postgraduate graduands, Sue Stanton and Robyn Ober. The luncheon will take place directly after Sue Stanton’s seminar presentation (which is on Thursday 11 October) in the seminar room (building 30), School of Australian Indigenous Knowledge Systems, CDU’s Casuarina Campus at 12 noon to 1pm.

Please contact and/or RSVP Cynthia Coyne (Indigenous Academic Support Lecturer) on (08) 89 46 6339 or cynthia.coyne@cdu.edu.au