La Trobe University, Bendigo

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Djaa Djuwima Gallery in the Bendigo Visitor Information Centre for our August SPARKS event, Beyond Symbolism: Exploring Our Shared Commitment to Action in Education and Health.

It was wonderful to bring together researchers, industry professionals, students and community partners to experience the exhibition, connect with one another, and have honest conversations about First Nations leadership, cultural safety, and what it takes to move beyond symbolism and into meaningful action.

A special thank you to Dr Scott Alterator for sharing insights and encouraging us to think more deeply about how Indigenous knowledge, relationships and accountability can strengthen leadership across health, education and our communities.

Set within the Billabongs Not Silos: Beyond Symbolism exhibition, the evening was a reminder that real change starts with listening, learning from one another, and committing to action.

Thank you again to everyone who came along and helped make the evening such a thoughtful and engaging one.

We were delighted to celebrate 30 years of Social Work at our Bendigo Campus last week, recognising three decades of Social Work education and the incredible impact our graduates, students, educators and community partners have made across regional Victoria and beyond.

The evening brought together alumni from across the decades for a panel discussion, Reflections on Regional Social Work Education: From Learning to Practice, Creating Change. It was inspiring to hear how their experiences at La Trobe have shaped their careers and their commitment to advancing social justice and strengthening regional communities.

Professor Jane Mills, Dean of the La Trobe Rural Health School, reflected on the vital role social workers play in improving the health and wellbeing of rural, regional and remote communities, and the importance of partnerships in educating the next generation of professionals.

Thank you to our alumni panellists Melissa Silk, Lindsay Rose, Courtney Lucanto, Tracey Farrell, Trent Eltchelebi and current student Ashleigh Fawcus for sharing their stories, as well as to everyone who joined us to celebrate this significant milestone.

🩺 Imagine sitting in a doctor's waiting room, deciding whether it's safer to stay silent than to be yourself.

For many LGBTIQA+ Australians, that choice can feel very real. Concerns about discrimination, stigma and misunderstanding mean many don't disclose their sexuality or gender identity to healthcare providers, while others delay or avoid healthcare altogether.

A new training and accreditation program seeks to solve this problem by creating a national network of inclusive and affirming healthcare providers where people from the LGBTQA+ community can can feel confident that they'll be treated with dignity and respect 🏳️‍🌈

Know a school leaver who's unsure what comes next?

La Trobe researchers, in partnership with the Hellenic Museum, The University of Melbourne and AVID Australia are inviting young people from Bendigo aged 18–25 to take part in Becoming Me – a new pilot program designed to help participants build confidence, explore future possibilities and develop a plan for life beyond school.

Co-designed with young people, educators, academics and creative practitioners, the program uses graphic art, drama and circus skills to encourage self-discovery, build decision-making skills and support goal setting.

Starting in August, this free eight-session program is open to up to 20 participants. Those who complete the program will receive a $100 gift card.

Register your interest today 👉 https://brnw.ch/21x4zlc

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 25th G.S. Watson Public Lecture last week.

It was great to hear from Emeritus Professor Terence Mills delivered a fascinating exploration of the life and ideas of John Maynard Keynes, revealing how his work on probability continues to shape the way we think about uncertainty, risk and decision-making today. The lecture also uncovered an unexpected Bendigo connection, giving the audience fresh perspectives on one of the twentieth century's most influential thinkers.

We were delighted to celebrate the 25th year of the G.S. Watson Public Lecture Series with such an engaging evening of ideas, discussion and community.

Thank you to Professor Mills for sharing his expertise, and to everyone who attended and stayed on for refreshments and conversation afterwards.

It was a pleasure to welcome around 50 secondary school students from across regional Victoria to Campus last week for our RISE Experience Day.

Students explored the many pathways into health careers through interactive workshops, including nursing simulation, pharmacy lip gloss making, outdoor education, and cultural learning. They also learned about the RISE Program, university pathways and the opportunities available to study and work in rural and regional communities.

Ruby Robinson, a Year 9 student from Marist College, shared, “this place has a lot of opportunities and that will give me a good pathway to get the job that I want.”

A special thank you to our First Nations presenters, discipline teams and staff who shared their knowledge, experiences and passion for improving health outcomes in regional Australia.

By creating opportunities for students to experience university firsthand, we're helping build a future rural health workforce that reflects and supports the communities it serves.

Australian teachers believe relationships and sexuality education belongs in the classroom, but most say they haven't received the training they need to teach it with confidence - and many fear repercussions for teaching it.

The latest national survey found:

📚 More than two-thirds of teachers received no pre-service training in relationships or sexuality education

🗣️ Many worry about negative reactions from parents or saying the wrong thing

❤️ Despite this, teachers overwhelmingly support delivering relationships and sexuality education in schools.

The scope of what's expected has also expanded considerably, say La Trobe researchers, with consent education, respectful relationships and digital and media literacy – including online safety, sexting and the influence of po*******hy – "emerging as prominent areas of focus."

The findings from the study highlight the need to better prepare and support teachers delivering this important part of the curriculum.

It was wonderful to welcome our newest rural health students at last week's Semester 2 Orientation Morning Tea.

The morning was a great chance for students to meet each other, connect with staff, and get to know the supportive community that makes our campus such a great place to study.

A special welcome to our new international students, Zoe, Sienna, Jacinda and Zachary, who have travelled from China to begin their Master of Nursing. We're thrilled to have you join the LRHS community and hope you're settling into life in Bendigo.

We're also excited to welcome Hayden, Kellan and Alexander, who are starting their Nursing studies with LRHS. We look forward to supporting you throughout your studies and seeing the impact you'll make in rural and regional communities.

We can't wait to see what this semester has in store. Welcome to La Trobe – we're so pleased to have you with us!

It was fantastic to see so many new faces joining our growing AI community, alongside familiar faces who continue to make these monthly sessions such a valuable space for learning and connection.

A big thank you to the crew from from Bendigo Telco and Curium Legal for sharing how they're using AI in their organisations to solve real-world challenges, improve productivity and deliver better outcomes for their customers. The discussion and Q&A that followed highlighted just how much opportunity AI presents for businesses across our region.

Proudly co-hosted by La Trobe University, Monash University, Bendigo Tech School and Ligantic, Bendigo AI Thinkspace brings together people from all backgrounds to explore, learn and collaborate on the future of AI.

Interested in joining us? Bendigo AI Thinkspace is held on the third Thursday of every month at the Emporium Creative Hub.

We'd love to see you at the next session: https://brnw.ch/21x4jWQ

There's nothing quite like seeing the impact of generosity firsthand.

We recently welcomed two of our valued supporters to meet the students whose lives they're helping change.

Dr Bill and Mrs Carol Holsworth met recipients of the 2026 Holsworth Student Grants, hearing about their study journeys, future aspirations and the difference the grants are making as they work towards careers in health, law and community leadership.

We also welcomed representatives from Villawood who met Abbey Cartner, recipient of the inaugural Villawood Engineering Excellence Bursary. Abbey shared how studying engineering at La Trobe Bendigo has allowed her to stay close to family while pursuing her dream career, and how the bursary is helping make that possible.

Bringing donors and students together is a great reminder of the real impact scholarships and bursaries have to our students and the wider community.

Thank you to our donors and industry partners for investing in our students and their aspirations. Your support is helping talented students pursue their goals and create lasting impact in the communities they'll go on to serve.