A special ceremony was held on Thursday at Moree Town and Country Club to welcome 12 new graduates under the Country Universities Centre North West Moree education program.

The Moree hub, an affiliate of the CUC network, is a dedicated learning and study space for regional people.

The centre gives students the option to study online and stay and work in their home town, rather than leave to study.

Shubham Rai, Benjamin Bilek, Carla Shearer, Joanna Kitto, Toby Lockrey, Abbey Glover, Chantelle Cubis, Annette Hadley, Andrew Newton, Jack Wiseman, Jimmy Bunner and Grace Lynch graduated in their chosen studies after extensively utilising the Moree hub.

Jo Kitto graduated with a Masters of Agribusiness diploma. She said CUC Moree has been an instrumental component throughout her journey.

“Having a dedicated local study space meant I could balance postgraduate study with family life, work and community commitments without needing to relocate,” Jo said.

“The chance to connect and network with other local students and professionals was also valuable. It provided fresh perspectives, motivation and a strong sense of community.

“My Master of Agribusiness through Marcus Oldham College examined how stronger partnerships between farmers and advisors can lead to greater confidence, clearer planning and improved on-farm performance,” she said.

“Building on that, I’m now establishing my farm business management advisory practice in Moree to support regional businesses with tailored advice that improves profitability, resilience and long-term sustainability across the agricultural sector.”

CUC North West, with a centre also at Narrabri, was opened in Moree six years ago as an affiliate of Country Universities Centre.

(from left) Graduates Jimmy Bunner, Carla Shearer, Grace Lynch, Joanna Kitto, Annette Hadley, Andrew Newton and Jack Wiseman at Moree Town and Country Club on Thursday. (absent: Shubham Rai, Benjamin Bilek, Toby Lockrey, Abbey Glover and Chantelle Cubis) Image courtesy of Memories by Maddy Photography.

The Moree hub is supported by the NSW Government, Narrabri Shire Council and Moree Plains Shire Council.

Moree CUC manager and education support officer, Shayne Miller, said students, staff and guests came together last Thursday to celebrate.

“These students studied everything from agronomy and nursing to primary education and civil engineering, and we feel it is important to recognise their achievements,” Shayne said.

“Most of the graduates have chosen to live, work, and study in Moree.

“Our role at CUC North West is to support students studying online through their academic journey.

“For them, it’s about being able to stay in Moree and study for free at CUC North West – it has certainly been a game-changer,” she said.

“We want to ensure our region is sustainable and has people with the skills and knowledge to deliver positive social and economic outcomes into the future, and our graduates demonstrate just that.

“They have not only learned content in their area of study but have developed their ‘hard’ skills such as communication, problem solving, critical thinking, and time management.

“It is these skills that will help them throughout their careers. Our north-west region will reap the benefits for years to come as a result of their education and skills,” Shayne said.

Meet the graduates

Shubham Rai: Certified Public Accountant Program (while working at AFF). AFF gave the opportunity to Shubham (called Sam) to study online through CPA Australia and become a certified public accountant.

Benjamin Bilek: Associate Degree in Policing Practice (Working at Moree Police Station). Moved to Moree for police work and finished his degree through Charles Sturt University online utilising CUC North West.

Carla Shearer: Bachelor of Nursing (Working at Mungindi Hospital as Nurse). Studied online through University of New England. Worked at Gwydir Medical through her degree and finished degree online while working at Mungindi Hospital.

Joanna Kitto: Masters of Agribusiness (self-employed). Studied online through Marcus Oldham College, working for herself, and juggling children and life.

Toby Lockrey: Bachelor of Rural Science (Working at AMPS). Studied on campus through University of New England and then came back to Moree (home) in his final year to finish his degree online and work at AMPS.

Abbey Glover: Master of Teaching (Secondary) while working at St Philomena’s Moree. Studied her Masters online through Charles Sturt University.

Chantelle Cubis: Bachelor of Education (Secondary), while working at Moree Secondary College as an English Teacher. Spent most of her degree completing face-to-face study on campus at University of Newcastle and has come home for her final year to finish in Moree, studying from CUC North West.

Annette Hadley: Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management (Working at NSW Department of Communities and Justice in Moree). Studied online through Monash University.

Andrew Newton: Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Surveying while working as a cadastral surveyor in Sydney. Studied his degree on campus at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. When home at Bellata, would use CUC North West.

Jack Wiseman: Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Working at McGregor Gourley Croppa Creek as trainee agronomist). Studied on campus at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. He moved to Moree for employment opportunities and did final year as an online student using CUC North West.

Jimmy Bunner: Bachelor of Agriculture (Working at Delta Ag in Moree). Studied on campus at University of New England and came to Moree for employment opportunities. He completed his final year of study online using CUC North West.

Grace Lynch: Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education (Primary), while working at Moree West Public School as a casual teacher. Started degree on campus at Macquarie University. Moved to Moree with her partner and has studied online using CUC North West for the last two years of her degree.

Image: Memories by Maddy Photography.