Fancy being a Student for a Day?

If you've always wanted to go to university but found the prospect too daunting, a one-day program being offered at USQ Springfield might be just the ticket.

The innovative Student for a Day session on Tuesday 3 April 2007 will give prospective students the chance to test the waters and get a taste for university life.

Program co-ordinator Nick Todd said the free one-day program would suit anyone thinking about embarking upon tertiary study.

'Anyone can register to come along and be a Student for a Day,' he said.

'Our program of events allows participants to check out the facilities, sit in on lectures and tutorials and find out about the range of support services available to our students.

'We also introduce them to example timetables and arm them with some practical strategies to balance study with work and family commitments.

'Participants are also given admission, pre-orientation and course information to ease what can be a pretty intimidating process for some people.

'Our first Student for a Day session was trialled in October last year and proved a great success, with 6 of the 11 people who attended now enrolled to study at USQ.'

One new student at USQ Springfield who attended last year's Student for a Day session said the course was invaluable.

Mother-of-three Megan Huni said she had been thinking about going to university for a while, but was terrified at the prospect.

'I always imagined universities to be big places where you were thrown in the deep end, and had to fend for yourself," Megan said.

'But after sitting in on a lecture and tutorial as part of the Student for a Day session last year I thought ‘I can do this'.

'I enrolled to do my Bachelor of Education (Primary/Middle) the very next week.

'The smaller size of USQ's Springfield campus also drew me in – everyone knows everyone and you feel like a person rather than just a number.'

Megan somehow juggles part-time study, full time work and the demands of motherhood, but said she was enjoying her new course.

'There are quite a few older students in our class, so I don't feel out of place and the University's Learning Teaching and Support Unit has really helped me settle in.'

USQ Springfield's Student for a Day session will be held on Tuesday 3 April 2007 from 9am.

Media Contact: Sam Ireland, USQ Media, +61 7 3470 4117 or 0428 102 979