News and events

Nursing student Allanah King, who is a Waanyi Ganggalida woman, is among the first-years taking part in O Week before classes begin on March 1.

Orientation gives students a chance to make new friends, explore the campus, learn about clubs and societies, attend seminars, enjoy food and entertainment, and pick up their free first-year t-shirts and study planners.

Allanah, 18, has enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing after deciding two years ago that nursing would be her life-long career.

“All my family are teachers and nurses but at first I thought, no, I’m not going to become a teacher or a nurse!” she said.

“But I had to choose something for a traineeship at school and when I did my first interview at Logan Hospital they took me for a tour and it was the most amazing instant feeling – I thought, yes, I want to do this for the rest of my life.”

Allanah earned her Certificate III assistant-in-nursing qualification while still at Rivermount College – at Yatala, south of Brisbane – and also completed a Certificate III in Business last year.

“It’s amazing that I got to start my career at 16 with that hospital apprenticeship – it was literally my first job,” she said.

“I currently specialise in diversional therapy for disability and I work with patients with Alzheimer's.”

Allanah said she chose QUT for her nursing degree because of recommendations from colleagues and students.

“QUT has been the number one school recommended to me for nursing and I know how much support it gives its students and its Indigenous students through the Oodgeroo Unit,” she said.

And while international travel is not currently on the cards, Allanah already has some global life experience.

“I’m one of five children and my dad works in mining – our whole family lived in Africa for three years from when I was 13 to 16, and we lived in Indonesia when I was five,” she said.

QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil congratulated all of the university’s new students on their achievements through a challenging 2020 and welcomed them to QUT for 2021.

“You are entering an exciting new period of your life and I encourage you to become part of the university culture by making the most of your time at QUT, both inside and outside your formal classes,” Professor Sheil said.

“There are plenty of people ready to share their own experiences and help you navigate this new environment. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. We were all new once ourselves and we want to you thrive here.”

QUT currently has the more than 1000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people interested in studying at QUT – including mid-year enrolment – can contact the Oodgeroo Unit for advice.

QUT Media contacts:
Mechelle McMahon, media@qut.edu.au
Rose Trapnell (after hours), media@qut.edu.au or  0407 585 901