LA Trobe University offered more than one thousand places to prospective students last Friday at the institution\u2019s regional campuses.<\/p>\n
Among those who received their first-round offers were recent year 12 graduates Piper Dunlop and Abby Perdon.<\/p>\n
Ms Dunlop, a basketballer for the Bendigo Spirit, will face the challenge of balancing university and professional sport but said she was excited to get a place in the university\u2019s exercise science course.<\/p>\n
\u201cLa Trobe\u2019s been more than supportive in guiding me through schooling, and with basketball,\u201d Ms Dunlop said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really stoked to have gotten an offer here so I can maintain that level of basketball commitment and still progress in education.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Perdon said she wasn\u2019t expecting to get into her first preference of physiotherapy.<\/p>\n
\u201cOriginally I was looking at occupational therapy because I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d get the mark for physio,\u201d she said<\/p>\n
\u201cFortunately, I did and I was able to get into physio. I was super excited to get an offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having completed year 12 at Catherine McAuley College, Ms Perdon said there were a number of things that drew her to apply at La Trobe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have such an amazing reputation for allied health, especially physiotherapy,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love that it was local and I could stay apart of the regional community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Associate Professor Carol McKinstry said La Trobe\u2019s rural health school had been popular among prospective students.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had strong demand for courses such as occupational therapy and paramedicine which is pleasing to see,\u201d Associate Professor McKinstry said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the pandemic at the moment with the health workforce in the spotlight it\u2019s really pleasing to see we\u2019re going to have a future workforce in that area as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
La Trobe also received strong demand for other areas of study such as IT, cyber security, sciences, and education.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a campus like Bendigo we\u2019re we offer a larger range of courses it\u2019s pleasing to see we\u2019re able to recruit rural and regional students,\u201d Associate Professor McKinstry said.<\/p>\n
As the new school year approaches, La Trobe hopes to have students back on campus for the start of semester one.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the Omicron situation at the moment we\u2019re looking at safety first and online provision of courses for January and February,\u201d Associate Professor McKinstry said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we\u2019ll reassess and see what things will be like at the start of semester.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Dunlop said she hopes to be able to get the full uni experience after COVID-19 disrupted the last two years of her high schooling.<\/p>\n
\u201cI more than hope I will be on campus to take it all in and really experience uni life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LA Trobe University offered more than one thousand places to prospective students last Friday at the institution\u2019s regional campuses. Among those who received their first-round offers were recent year 12 graduates Piper Dunlop and Abby Perdon. Ms Dunlop, a basketballer for the Bendigo Spirit, will face the challenge of balancing university and professional sport but […]<\/p>\n