For mother-and-son Kylie and Luke Walsh, studying nursing became a shared journey.
Across six years at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), they navigated classes, a pandemic and countless assignments together while building new skills. Now, they are among more than 1500 graduates celebrating their achievements and stepping into roles caring for patients in local hospitals.
“It’s a unique experience that we had,” Kylie says.
“And we’ve come to the end of it together, which is amazing. And look at us! We’ve both landed jobs in places we’re really happy to be.”
Their journey at UniSC began in 2020, but the shared timing was pure coincidence.
After a diverse career and raising a family, Kylie discovered UniSC’s Tertiary Preparation Pathway.
“I kept coming back to nursing being the one thing that I always wanted to pursue,” she says.
Having a keen interest in healthcare from his early teens, Luke had already accepted an offer to study a Bachelor of Nursing Science at UniSC.
“Mum came to me and said, ‘I know you’re doing nursing, but I have an interest in it, too. Would that be okay?’ And, I said, ‘Go for it’,” he says.
Kylie is thankful she had the courage to grasp the opportunity to study at UniSC.
“I’m going to be forever grateful that I threw my hat in the ring at this stage of my life,” she says.
“Sometimes women can feel like they become a bit invisible at this age and stage, which I can relate to. But, if I can do it, anyone can do it.”
