SuniTAFE Mildura Celebrates 2025 Academic Year

More than 100 students crossed the Mildura Arts Centre stage in front of their families, teachers, and employers last night to commemorate their graduation from SuniTAFE’s Mildura campus.

Across all SuniTAFE campuses in 2025, more than 500 students completed a qualification, including trainees, apprentices, and international students.

These graduates range from Certificate III to Diploma level and are using their new skills in priority areas including healthcare, housing, clean energy, and more.

SuniTAFE’s 2025 student and staff award winners were also announced last night, with 15 individuals receiving recognition for their hard work and dedication.

Amongst those recognised on the night were graduates Kirsty Pollard named Student of the Year – Academic and Kudzai Loverage Teguru named Student of the Year – Certificate III or IV. Both students were leaders in their classrooms and are now making a positive impact in their chosen fields.

SuniTAFE also crowned a new Teacher of the Year, with Primary Industries Teacher Ken Parr taking out the top prize for his innovative and inclusive approaches to teaching at the SuniTAFE SMART Farm.

Chief Executive Officer Brett Millington was proud to welcome so many people to the annual celebration and to showcase everything SuniTAFE achieved in 2025.

"Graduation is a fantastic occasion in which we get to celebrate the student journey through to its completion," he said.

"Our number one strategic priority is to change lives and tonight it was very easy to see that empowerment on show.

"It’s also significant to be able to recognise the role of our teachers and staff in creating this positive change.

"We crowned our new Teacher of the Year, Ken Parr, a relatively new teacher who has brought so much passion to our SMART Farm campus as well as our Geoff Dea Values and Leadership awardee, Nicole Winter, who has so admirably lived our values over the past 12 months."

Student Awards

International Student of the Year | Sponsored by Skills and Jobs Centre

Parichat Meeboonya – English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS)

First Nations Student of the Year | Sponsored by Are Able

Kevin Rose – Certificate II in Mumgu-dhal tyama-tiyt community, connections and pathways

VDSS Student of the Year | Sponsored by Skills and Jobs Centre

Courtney Cheek – Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance

Hospitality Student of the Year | Sponsored by Skills and Jobs Centre

Huan (Henry) Zhou – Diploma of Hospitality Management

Health High Achiever | Sponsored by Sunraysia Community Health Services

Jorja Finch – Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance

Trainee of the Year | Sponsored by Skills and Jobs Centre

Phuong Chi Doan – Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping

Student of the Year – Certificate III or IV (Non-Trade) | Sponsored by Skills and Jobs Centre

Kudzai Loverage Teguru – Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Student of the Year – Academic (Diploma/Advanced Diploma) | Sponsored by Skills and Jobs Centre

Kirsty Pollard – Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

Scholarships

The Sunraysia Institute of TAFE and Chances for Children Scholarship

Louise Richardson – Diploma of Nursing

Angelina Krivec – Diploma of Nursing

Jasmin Balchin - Diploma of Nursing

Jasmine Shaddock – Diploma of Beauty

La Trobe University Scholarship

Rebecca Gardam – Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

Tyra Giofrelle – Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance

Staff Awards

Teacher of the Year

Ken Parr – Primary Industries Teacher

Geoff Dea Values and Leadership Award

Nicole Winter – Information Management Coordinator