More than 2300 University of Newcastle graduates are ready to take on their next challenge in life, following the ninth graduation ceremony this week.
Sam Parker returned from PhD studies at Brown University in America for his graduation on Tuesday.
He graduated with Honours in a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) and received the University Medal for Engineering as the number one graduate in the program with top marks and nominations from staff and researchers.
"It is really humbling and really great to have the recognition from Newcastle so I am just really lucky," he said.
"I did not expect it at all. I always looked up to people who received the University Medal and to be included in that crowd is pretty inspiring and never something I thought I would get."
This is his first time back in Newcastle after starting his PhD in Biomedical Engineering in America. He received the John Monash Scholarship that allowed 20 students from across Australia to study overseas.
For Mr Parker, this was a dream come true.
"I want to build devices that help people with a spinal cord injury. Part of that is building devices that listen to the spine so we can try and decode what people do and to stimulate the spinal cord so we can make things happen," he said.
"It is the thing that I have wanted to do my entire life and now that I have got the skills from Newcastle I get to see the impact that I can make.
"I am working with patients and seeing the ability and the improvements I can make to lives with the devices that I build and that is really inspiring."
This marks the first time graduation ceremonies have returned to a full capacity since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
University of Newcastle deputy vice-chancellor professor Mark Hoffman said this group of graduates have had many challenges thrown at them.
"Completing a higher education qualification should be celebrated at the best of times and we know that the past two years have presented many challenges above and beyond what we usually face, so I applaud each and every student who will be graduating this week," he said.
"We aim to ensure our graduates are life-ready and I have great confidence that this cohort will be exceptional graduates who are prepared to succeed in their new career."
Steven Jones graduated with a Bachelor of Business in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Leadership and Management after he made a drastic career change.
Mr Jones worked as a mechanic for most of his life but he said he wanted to "get off the tools."
"It was very different, especially when you start moving from your hands to mental work," he said.
"I wanted a change but I also wanted to make a bigger impact. My main thing is to constantly improve and grow.
"The balance of work and study was very challenging at times but I just stuck with it, stayed determined and made sure I finished it."
