Student Profiles

Bachelor of Management, Warrnambool, Graduated 2008.

Currently: 'The Races' Editor, SABOIS (South Australian Breeders' and Owners' Incentive Scheme) Coordinator, Thoroughbred Racing South Australia

Melissa Ware's love of horses led to her decision to undertake a Bachelor of Management at Deakin. Now she has landed her dream job. 'Without my degree I wouldn't have the job I have today,' she says. 'I am delighted to have got it straight out of uni.'

Melissa is a horse racing judge, edits a racing magazine, and helps administer a breeding incentive scheme - all part of her multi-faceted role with Thoroughbred Racing South Australia. 'I have always loved horses and the opportunity to work professionally in the racing industry was something I could never knock back,' she says.

Growing up in Warrnambool with horses as her first love, all Melissa wanted to do was work with them. Successfully studying business and commerce in year 12 was behind her decision to study management. After perusing the components of different courses, she opted for the management degree over the similarly structured commerce. 'I did really well in business and commerce at school so it seemed like a good option,' she says. 'But the focus on economics and accounting in commerce did not appeal, and I was more interested in the marketing side. Then, the more I got into it, the more I enjoyed it.'

Melissa thoroughly enjoyed the content of her studies and found Deakin staff extremely helpful and supportive. 'It couldn't have been any better and the lecturers were great. I got along really well with all of them,' she says. 'I am really lucky that I fell into this course like I did.'

Her choice to enrol in her masters at the midpoint of this year is testament to her satisfaction with everything about Deakin, Melissa says. 'I didn't even look at any other universities for my masters. I think that shows my confidence in Deakin. ' Now she is finding the on-line course extremely relevant to her day-to-day work. 'It relates to everything I am doing in my job so it does not even feel like I am studying,' she says.

The environment at the smaller Warrnambool Campus also suited the home-town girl. 'It was a great environment and I made some really good friends,' she says. 'I came from a small school so I was used to close attention from staff. In third year we sometimes had only six or seven people in our class.' Support from staff also made a difference when Melissa was considering postgraduate study. 'I am still in contact with a couple of my lecturers and they gave me the direction and motivation to do my masters.'