From lettuce picker to valedictorian

Engineer Nadine Pufelski is the USQ valedictorian at Saturday's graduation ceremony

In a little over six years, German immigrant Nadine Pufelski’s has gone from lettuce picking backpacker to USQ Valedictorian.

This weekend Nadine will be conferred with the highest student honour when she graduates from a Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental Engineering) at USQ's first Toowoomba graduation ceremony for 2011 on Saturday 16 April.

Currently working for the Toowoomba Regional Council as a graduate engineer, Nadine will address the University community and graduands in her Valedictorian speech, encouraging them to use their skills to make the world a better place.

'We need to work towards more sustainable solutions, so that future generations that graduate in 2070 may still have a wonderful future in front of them. This is our chance to find solutions to address climate change, overcome population challenges and find new energy sources,' she said.

'The solution of these problems cannot be simply googled. Many of these solutions still need to be found.'

Prior to the Graduation ceremony Nadine will also be recognised by the Faculty of Engineering and Surveying for her outstanding academic achievements during their Annual Awards Presentation. Nadine will receive the Engineers Australia Wilmoth Medal and Prize; the Alan Rixon Memorial Prize; the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (Alan Rixon Medal) and the Faculty of Engineering and Surveying’s Project Prize.

'I was really surprised to receive so many prizes. I never expected that I would be the one to receive the Wilmoth Medal, or to be chosen to give the Valedictorian speech. I always thought this was reserved for those who are genuinely brilliant students. The fact that I have been chosen is a real honour!

'I am very grateful to have received the Alan Rixon Memorial Prize from Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology Medal, the Engineers Australia Wilmoth Medal and Prize and the Faculty of Engineering and Surveying Project Prize this year. These prizes are more than I could have ever asked for.'

Nadine first came to Australia as a backpacker in 2005. During her stint as a farm-hand she met her fiancé and decided to stay and study environmental engineering.

'The first year was quite difficult, not knowing any people and trying to organise work around lectures, and of course a lot of homesickness. But after the first year things got slowly better.

'I found some wonderful friends at uni, and I started working as a vacation work student at Toowoomba Regional Council. Ever since, I had a really good relationship with my work place. In my third year I received a scholarship from them, they supplied me vacation work and now I am one of their graduates. I also found great mentors at work, in particular Ros Alexander, who always has had a minute for me to give me advice.

'During my time at USQ, I was very impressed that at this university the lecturers take the effort to know their students personally, especially my thesis supervisor Dr Vasantha Aravinthan. I always found the lecturers to have an open door policy and they were always willing to assist immediately. The administration staff were also friendly and willing to assist with any request.

'I would not have been able to do this without the patience, emotional and financial support of my fiancé. And of course, I am grateful that my parents let me move overseas to study at USQ and be with my Aussie. It has been very hard for them to see me gone for most of the past six years.'

The USQ Graduation Ceremonies will be held this weekend (Saturday 16 April) at the Clive Berghofer Recreational Centre. The morning ceremony will commence at 10am and the afternoon ceremony will begin at 2.30pm.

Contact Details:
Connie-Louise Rego, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 2977, 0400 025 429