Georgie Burgess
12 December 2025: More than100 School of Nursing students have been recognised for their academic and clinical achievements at the annual º£½ÇÉçÇø Nursing Excellence Awards at both the Bruce and Sydney campuses.
Head of School for Nursing and Midwifery, Professor Jenny Weller-Newton opened the award ceremony by celebrating the dedication and hard work of the University’s nursing students.
“Nursing has a long and proud tradition at the University of Canberra, from our Bachelor of Nursing, to our Master of Nursing Practice,” Professor Weller-Newton said.
“Thousands of students have graduated from the University and now work not just across Australia but all over the world. It is amazing to see just how beautiful our º£½ÇÉçÇø alumni community is, with more graduating cohorts on the way.”
Recent Bachelor of Nursing graduate Lee Karssen returned to the Bruce campus to give a rousing speech about what led him down the path to becoming a Registered Nurse, and why he ended up at the University.
“I chose º£½ÇÉçÇø because I was told that they produce good nurses and I wanted to be a good nurse – that drive is something that still stays with me to this day,” he said.
Now working in community nursing in Goulburn, Mr Karssen says the journey wasn’t always smooth for a student who enrolled in his late 30s, juggling not just work but also marriage and two kids. Despite the at-times, difficult return to study, the excellence awards at the end of each year helped him continue to push through.
“What reassured me was that I was recognised for that struggle, I got some awards for actually trying and for doing well. Providing that recognition and support is something that UC is very good at doing,” he said.
Among the awards presented was the Alan Richardson Scholarship. The annual scholarship is named in honour of Canberra public servant Alan Richardson, who passed away in June 2017, aged 73, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Delivered by the University, in partnership with The Hospital Research Foundation Group – Parkinson's, it awards $1,500 to a Bachelor of Nursing student with a keen interest in Parkinson’s disease or another neurological condition.
The funds support the recipient's professional development and advancements in care for Parkinson’s.
Alan’s wife, Annette Richardson presented the award to the 2025 recipient, Donna Drake.
“I loved how, in your application, you spoke of the compassion and dignity that you can provide to patients with neurological conditions – that indicated to me a wonderful spirit,” Mrs Richardson said.
When accepting the scholarship, Ms Drake said she was truly humbled and grateful to have been selected and reflected on the invaluable support this will provide her in following her dream to help neurological patients receive the best end-of-life care possible in the palliative system.
“I’m committed to giving that not only to the residents and their families that I support but also to my colleagues, my workplace and the broader community,” Ms Drake said.
“My goal is to contribute to improving the outcomes in neurological and palliative care by combining evidence-based practice with humanity, empathy and respect.”
Last year’s recipient, second-year Bachelor of Nursing student Becky Pillidge, who was recently awarded the COPE Award, shared the immense difference the scholarship has made on her time at the University.
“The Alan Richardson Scholarship has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life,” Ms Pillidge said.
“It has strengthened not only my knowledge, but also my sense of purpose. It has showed me what compassionate person-first nursing truly looks like and above all has shown me that even in the hardest of moments, there is always hope – and nurses help people to find it.”
The 2025 Audrey Threw Scholarship recipients Benjamin Lueck and Samantha Leeman also each received an Excellence in Action Award, alongside 2024’s COPE Award winner Elliott Downes for their ongoing excellence in the Bachelor of Nursing program. The recognition is given to the University’s highest-achieving students each year.