| Bachelor of Arts graduates, Emma-Lyn Barrett and Anne Hamilton-Foster... Bachelor of Arts graduates, Emma-Lyn Barrett and Anne Hamilton-Foster, were all smiles at the Bega Education Centre’s Graduation Celebrations |  | A total of 22 Bega graduates received their degrees at the event A total of 22 Bega graduates received their degrees at the event |  | Patrick Hodder won the University’s most prestigious accolade &... Patrick Hodder won the University’s most prestigious accolade – the Robert Hope Memorial Prize. He is pictured with Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Professor Rob Castle | 
| Nursing graduate, Jenny Hodder, delivered the Vote of Thanks Nursing graduate, Jenny Hodder, delivered the Vote of Thanks |
Bega Education Centre holds Graduation Celebrations
21 Dec 2007 | Renee Criddle
More than 150 people converged at the Bega Town Hall last week (Friday 14 December 2007) to participate in the University of Wollongong’s Bega Education Centre Graduation Celebrations.
A total of 22 graduands were presented to Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Professor Rob Castle, and several academics from the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences.
The group included graduates of the Bachelor of Arts (Community, Culture and Environment), the Graduate Certificate in Management, and the Bachelor of Nursing degrees.
The Occasional Address was delivered by the founder of the Clean Energy for Eternity group and winner of the 2006 NSW Energy Champion Individual Green Globe Award, Dr Matthew Nott.
After reading Tim Flannery's book, The Weather Makers, Dr Nott said he decided to do something about climate change. His most notable achievement was uniting the community, with the support of local councils, to set a “50/50” energy target, a take up of 50 per cent renewable energy and a reduction in 50 per cent of energy use - by the year 2020.
Dr Nott encouraged the graduates to follow their passions and to value their education as a passport to whatever they wanted to achieve. He hopes to link his work with the University of Wollongong, with a view to making Bega a centre for excellence in sustainable energy.
Colonel Mike Kelly also gave a congratulatory address - his first public appearance in Bega as the new Federal Member for Eden Monaro.
A special mention was given to local honours graduate, Patrick Hodder, who won the University’s most prestigious accolade - the Robert Hope Memorial Prize. The award includes a $10,000 prize. Patrick graduated with First Class Honours for his research in to the ‘Politics of Climate Change’. He is the first regional student to receive the award.
The Bega Education Centre was opened in 2000 and has since grown to accommodate 150 students from six degrees offered by the University of Wollongong.
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