Indigenous students 'breathe' some higher education

Monday, 18 September 2017

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students will get an introduction to university study and campus life at the University of Adelaide this week.

More than 240 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students will be at the North Terrace campus on Tuesday 19 September, exploring different study and career pathways offered by the University as part of its Marni Wingku program.

Marni Wingku, which translates to ‘good spirit / breath’ in Kaurna, offers a day of activities designed and hosted by the University’s different faculties including: mixing and producing music in the Popular Music and Creative Technologies Suite; making moulds of their own teeth; and becoming university reporters for the day.

“The Marni Wingku program opens the doors to the University for our young Indigenous people and gives them a chance to get a feel for our campus and explore their interests, passions and career aspirations,” says Professor Shane Hearn, the University of Adelaide’s Dean of Indigenous Research and Education Strategy.

“As a nation, we tend to view high achieving Aboriginal people who aspire to go to university as outliers or exceptions to rule. This is not only debasing for all our peoples, but wildly inaccurate.

“We know that young Aboriginal people have the same academic, career and life-long aspirations as non-Aboriginal people. Marni Wingku emphasises that university is a place for all, regardless of background or circumstances.”

The disciplines involved in the Marni Wingku program are as diverse as the passions of the participating students. They include; Information and Technology and Engineering, Oral Health, Law, Media, Science, psychology and the Centre of Aboriginal Studies in Music (CASM).

Marni Wingku is organised by Wirltu Yarlu, the University’s Aboriginal Education program, which oversees the recruitment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students; administers the Special Entry Access Scheme; provides support services to enrolled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students;and delivers the Wirltu Yarlu Preparation Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and the Indigenous Knowledge study at the University.

For more information Marni Wingku see: www.adelaide.edu.au/marni-wingku

 

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