Wayne Boldery's career has come the full circle, bringing him back to USQ after more than 40 years.
Mr Boldery is currently working at USQ Fraser Coast as a personal counsellor.
It is the same tertiary institution where he completed his first degree the same year that man walked on the moon - 1969.
He was a foundation student of the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education (now USQ) back in 1967, making him one of the first six students to graduate with degrees.
Mr Boldery, who recently caught up with other former students at a gathering of the USQ Alumni and Friends Fraser Coast Chapter, was born in Maryborough.
'I had finished school in Maryborough and gone over to Toowoomba to study,' he said.
'There was nothing but one building and an empty farmhouse, where we used to play cards.
'The nearest houses were miles away.
'After I graduated with the equivalent of a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemistry I went to the University of Queensland to do a Diploma of Education. It was part of an education package arranged by the two institutions.'
But his days of studying didn’t end there. Mr Boldery went on to do another four years to obtain a Bachelor of Social Work.
Eight years after starting university he moved into full-time work as the State’s first teacher/social work consultant.
He was a half-time chemistry teacher and half-time social worker at Newmarket High.
Then he taught in England for a few years before returning to study again – this time a Bachelor of Arts double degree in Psychology and then a Master of Education.
Eventually Mr Boldery made his way back to his hometown and became a school guidance counsellor at his old school, Maryborough High. It was a position he held for 28 years before retiring last year.
'After my retirement I was offered a fixed contract of nine months at USQ Fraser Coast as a personal counsellor,' he said.
'It’s incredible to think that after all this time I have come back to the place where I started.
'I have a strong sense of pride and attachment to USQ and love being back.'
Contact Details:
Katrina Corcoran, USQ Media, +61 7 4194 3167
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