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An education at Avondale College will give you a greater vision, but where will that vision lead? Connections found graduates Cherie Bowman (2001) and Nalissa Maberly (2005) in unexpected places.

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Gaylene Heise, course coordinator for business studies, writes of meeting Cherie after climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. "She greeted [husband] Lyell and I as we exited into the shop where the photographs and tourist commodities are displayed." Cherie served as BridgeClimb Sydney's acting public relations coordinator at the time. "We had friends from the United States with us and they were amazed--we'd met an Avondale graduate in the corner of the bridge's southern pylon," says Gaylene.

Cherie has served in a variety of roles since graduation--she completed a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Business. These have included a publicist for Universal Pictures Australia, a tour guide for Contiki Holidays, which saw her travelling around Australia with high school students from the United States representing the People to People Student Ambassador Program, and a warden at Buckingham Palace.

"I felt proud," says Gaylene. "Cherie had done so well in her career. She mentioned how easy it had been to get the jobs she wanted because of the training she received at Avondale."

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Nalissa expected to find a "regular" job after receiving her Graduate Diploma of Theology. Instead, she now finds herself serving as a volunteer in "a land of endless rolling, green hills, craggy coastlines, one pound airfares and rather regular rain"--England.

Nalissa has been leading a church regeneration project called No. 19 in St Austell, Cornwall, for the past year. Creative, relational ministry forms the core of the project with Nalissa and her team of young adults organising regular camps, movie nights, sports programs and trips to London. A modified STORM Co service project drew more than 20 children who had no previous connection to the church. "We make lots of friends," says Nalissa.

A number of young adults from Australia have volunteered to support the project, including current team member Kirsty Michalski from Newcastle, and former team members Amelia Archer and Amelia Bottrell, both current Avondale students.

Nalissa is visiting the cafeteria on Avondale College's Lake Macquarie looking for more students to join the team. "I'm looking for students who love working with children, who are gifted musically or who enjoy sports, but most importantly, I'm looking for students who love God and are willing to share their faith with others."

Connections Announcements: "Adventist Volunteer Service: Youth ministry, Cornwall, England"

 

Caption: Gaylene Heise (left) speaks proudly of the people skills Avondale College graduate Cherie Bowman (right) is using to further her career. 

 

 

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