![CDU student on Sydney highrise](/files/styles/hero_very_small_phone_320x228/public/2021-05/Student%20stories_Michelle.png?h=fe5fcd1e&itok=gg6kAo0T)
Student stories
![CDU nursing student at her locker in a hospital](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2021-04/IMG_1077_LR.png?h=1229afd8&itok=Zpeh4GaP)
A quick step into nursing with an online degree: Meet Michelle
As a busy mum and trained dancer, Michelle never dreamed that a different career would be possible. But CDU changed all that. Waltzing through a flexible online nursing degree, she's now dancing to a different tune working as a nurse.
Read more![mohammad-ridwan-1](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2022-06/IMG_20191018_072741.jpg?h=50d0202a&itok=33NFWjJp)
Mohammad dreams of building disaster-resilient communities
Mohammad dreams of developing disaster-resilient communities in Indonesia, so he began his search for a Higher Degree by Research and was granted an Australia Awards Scholarship. His research could make a big impact on small islands threatened by a host of natural disasters.
![Electrical Apprentice Mary Coulter GTNT Awards](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2022-06/FB_IMG_1654628133671.jpg?h=276daab7&itok=pf7WLTOl)
Mary's powering through a male-dominated industry
Before being crowned Apprentice of the Year, Mary was working in retail. Her craving for a combination of academics and hands-on skills would lead her to start an electrical apprenticeship through an all-female training program. That bright spark of an idea would soon become a dream career!
![vaninder-master-of-teaching](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2022-05/IMG-20220521-WA0015.jpg?h=ac923d54&itok=1FccZ1rq)
Vaninder’s using the Master of Teaching to achieve her dream
While studying the Australian education system, Vaninder realised her dream: to become a special education teacher. She aspires to return to India and open a special education school, free to those who need it. There’s nothing that will stop her from reaching her goal.
![Ngoc-teaching-1](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2022-05/1_0.jpg?h=d952e0f6&itok=LMGcsPYI)
Ngoc’s on a mission to make learning fun
Despite previously studying business, Ngoc found herself interested in pursuing a career in teaching. She began looking for a flexible degree that would allow her to become a teacher in Australia.
![Electrician Matt studying engineering in Darwin](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2022-05/IMG_2644%202.jpg?h=f7a05070&itok=NTyAvEWM)
Engineering sparked a new career for electrician Matt
Winning not one but two scholarships has changed the course of Matt’s career. After working as an electrician for 10 years and seeing the projects and positions that would be available to him if he pursued further study, Matt took the plunge to become a mature age engineering student.
![Medical Laboratory Science student Hajrah in the lab at Casuarina campus](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2022-05/editP1040511.jpg?h=293cc792&itok=e4aFvkpe)
Hajrah hopes to take her laboratory skills to remote NT
Darwin local Hajrah knew she would study at CDU once she finished Year 12, but the specifics took a little longer to figure out. Wanting to stay close to her family and Darwin’s multicultural community, she now has big dreams to use her new-found skills for the benefit of more vulnerable communities in the Territory.
![CDU science student Alina](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2022-04/IMG_3972.jpg?h=cc1e80c9&itok=e6hmAiq9)
Alina is encouraging more Territorian women into STEM
Passionate about gender equity in STEM fields and youth engagement, Alina is using her love of science to promote positive change in the Northern Territory. This Katherine local chose CDU to support her goals, and has been paying it forward to support other students and women in science ever since.
![Palmerston Cookery students](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2022-04/20211025%20CDU%20PALMERSTON%20CAMPUS%20-%20WEB-46.jpg?h=34bbd072&itok=D20ZZ8tL)
Tran and Nicholas are cooking up a career
Business was always in the blood for Nicholas, but he knew he didn’t want to follow in his family's footsteps. He felt hospitality and the food industry calling out to him. Similarly, Tran has loved cooking since she was a little girl. It didn’t take either of them very long to decide to study commercial cookery at CDU.
![Tom at the Waterfront Campus](/files/styles/mask_column_narrow_1x/public/2022-03/CDU_2020_10_WFD_international_WEB_34.jpg?h=34bbd072&itok=9mYmcfOF)
Teacher Tom's giving back to his new community in Darwin
When Tom wanted to learn more about education systems outside of his home country of China, he tutored and interned across the world. Then Australia and a Master of Teaching at CDU beckoned, where Tom is giving back as much as he's getting.