2014 Education graduate Jacquelyn Nesbitt spoke to us about why she chose education, her study journey and her hopes after graduation.
What did you study and why?
Ever since I started school I knew I wanted to be a teacher, so naturally, when the time (finally) came to choose what I wanted to study, I enrolled in a Bachelor of Education (Primary). After studying for two years you’re given the opportunity to choose a specialist area, and I chose Middle Schooling as I really enjoyed teaching in the middle years (years 4 to 9).
What were the most interesting things you learned in your degree?
My degree at Griffith University was filled with so many interesting learning experiences. Not only did I learn my teacher’s tricks of the trade, but I also understood how to create engaging learning experiences that can cater for a variety of students.
Gold Coast financial adviser Frank Byrne has been recognised for 20 years’ mentoring of 
You may not know their faces but most Griffith students will be familiar with their events when deciding their future career path. Most of us have attended the Tertiary Studies Expo (TSXPO) which is Australia’s largest careers expo offering study options from over 250 representatives. Interchange Consultancy is the brainchild of couple Shane Lynch and Hedy van Hofwegen which started in 1997 with their first careers expo for the Gold Coast region. An interesting correlation to this story is that Shane and Hedy are Griffith graduates who studied Business and Science respectively.
With many accolades to her name, Kristin Berardi won the Montreux Jazz Festival International Vocal Competition in 2006, two National Australian Bell Awards for the Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2010 and 2012 , the first and only vocalist to receive the Freedman National Jazz Award 2010; has released a number of albums and toured nationally and overseas. Graduating in 2003 with a Bachelor of Music from the Queensland Conservatorium, Kristin now shares her expertise with current students in the Jazz Voice course.
As a lecturer at Macquarie University in the Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Dr John Selby confesses he took an unusual path on his way to academia. At age 15, John was already deciding which university to attend and degree to pursue. His parents had left school early and as the first in his family to go to university, he was drawn to Griffith University to study combined law and international business degrees. “I just didn’t want to study law on its own and wanted to have another degree. I felt the academic staff at Griffith focused on ensuring students learned as much as possible and there was a focus on a new generation of university students.”
After seven years of gruelling study and dedication to become an MD Brendan Goodwin is about to commence his intern year at Princess Alexandra Hospital. With the pressure of his final exams behind him, this Doctor of Medicine graduate will soon be able to immerse himself in new overseas experience, learning from international medical leaders in London and Montreal.
Attending University presents challenges, but for many, the end result can be the satisfaction of obtaining the ever elusive ‘dream job’. Our 30 Grads in 30 Days project has illustrated this fact, but the idea is eloquently summed up by midwife Kirsten Penney,
Griffith University Careers and Employment Service 