A former Scarborough school student has returned from a decade working in administration in Melbourne to raise a family at Rothwell and study at USC Moreton Bay to pursue her life’s dream of becoming a nurse.

Melissa Laszlo, 32, has received an early offer to study her chosen Bachelor of Nursing Science at the new campus at Petrie from Semester 1 next year.

Australia’s newest university campus will offer almost 50 degrees in its first year, including business, education, nursing science, computer science and mechatronics.

“I’ve been working since I finished Year 12 at Southern Cross Catholic College, first at Queensland Health, then in Melbourne for state and local government,” Melissa said.

“I did a Diploma of Business and completed a Certificate IV. I’d always wanted to do nursing, but I couldn’t afford to study at university when I was younger.

“After deciding to come back home with my husband to be closer to family and raise our two children, I went to the USC Caboolture Open Day. A really nice lecturer showed me the nursing lab and it was so interesting – it made me want to do nursing even more.

“I’m so lucky to be accepted by USC for the new Moreton Bay campus next year. I even got credit points for my prior business studies.”

Melissa said the convenience of Petrie train station – only a few stops from Rothwell – was a drawcard.

“I probably wouldn’t have gone to uni if it wasn’t local because I have one boy in school and one who’s only nine months old,” she said.

“I’m going to try my hardest at university. I had a strong connection with my grandmother, so I’d love to eventually work in aged care.”

USC Moreton Bay will open in early 2020 with a state-of-the-art foundation building that includes a full suite of university services. The three-storey multi-purpose building is the first stage of development of the university precinct that is expected to attract 10,000 students enrolled in more than 100 programs by 2030.

Applications to study at USC Moreton Bay are open online at www.usc.edu.au/studymoretonbay