Marianne McKinnon is glad she crashed her twin sister’s party so to speak and followed her to the University of Wollongong.
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Marianne had her heart set on becoming a science teacher but was intrigued when her sibling Kathleen said she was going to UOW to study nursing.
On Thursday the Port Macquarie twins graduated together with a Bachelor of Nursing degree.
“It feels really good. I’m just so proud of her for everything we’ve gone through,” Marianne said.
“It’s been a really tough stint. Nursing isn’t just your typical degree where you are just studying all the time. A prac component is very very challenging and I’m just so proud of working together.
“We worked together a lot on our assignments and travelled together for our pracs and everything.
“I’m just so glad it is over and we have achieved everything we have achieved.”
The now 21-year-old twins moved to Wollongong at the start of 2015.
But they’re not the first from their family to study at UOW.
“My older brother studied advanced medical biotechnology at UOW and really enjoyed it,” Marianne said.
“I’m just glad Kathleen was okay with me when I told her I wanted to do nursing just like her.
“As things have turned out, it’s been ideal because moving from Port Macquarie to Wollongong was a big move in itself.
“We’ve been able to help each other out and pick each other up when things haven’t gone our way.”
The twins have already secured full-time work, with Marianne a registered nurse at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Kathleen holding a similar position at Concord Hospital.
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
