Siblings and goats prompt Maddie's Warrnambool choice

Maddie Hunger’s road to commerce at Deakin University’s Warrnambool Campus has been inspired by her siblings…and her goats.

Maddie is not only following in the footsteps of her older brother and sister, she’s looking for ways to capitalise on her teenage success as a miniature goat breeder.

Her Silverfern Miniature Goat Stud is one of Victoria’s leading studs and its success has laid the groundwork for Maddie to pursue a career in the marketing and human resource management side of business.

Being able to study locally at Warrnambool has been vital for Maddie, who lives on a family dairy farm at Boorcan with her parents, Roseanne and Andy.

Maddie, 18, started breeding goats about eight years ago, and found the business side of it just as interesting as the genetics and breeding.

“I’m a registered miniature goat breeder and have to market my own stuff and deal with people all the time,” she said. “I’ve always found it interesting and a challenge to negotiate with people.”

“Commerce was always my strongest subject at school and I want to take that a little further and see where I can end up with it.

“Hopefully it will lead back to the agricultural and dairy industry in some form.”

Warrnambool was Maddie’s first choice after completing Year 12 in 2016 at Terang College and she’s pleased that the future of the Campus has been secured.

“I like the fact that it’s local and it provides the same quality course as Geelong and Melbourne,” she said.

“I don’t have the pressure of moving away immediately which is important as I’ve always preferred to live around here.”

Maddie was also inspired by her siblings, who both successfully studied at the Deakin University Warrnambool Campus.

Her brother Brett studied commerce and is now an accountant in Warrnambool and sister Ashleigh studied education and has moved straight into a teaching job.

“They were impressed by the personal connection at Warrnambool which they didn’t think you'd get at the larger universities,” Maddie said.

“That’s what sold me in giving Warrnambool a go.”

Maddie hopes to focus on marketing and human resource management in her Bachelor of Commerce.

She also hopes other students – both local and from beyond the district – follow her lead and enrol at the Warrnambool Campus.

“Hopefully I can help with getting more students back to the Campus to make sure it’s an option for local students and those from further away, well into the future,” she said.