As a student, staff member, and mother of three, Melinda Mann-Yasso is one of the busier members of the CQUniversity community, and has been recognised for her diligence and commitment by receiving the 2012 Central Queensland NAIDOC Award for Student of the Year, presented at last Friday's NAIDOC Family Expo...

Melinda is one of CQUniversity's Indigenous Widening Participation Officers, and has also recently completed a Master of Learning Management through CQUniversity.

Melinda says she was very surprised to receive the award for which she was nominated by members of CQUniversity's Nulloo Yumbah division.

Melinda Mann-Yasso pictured with her father and award at last week's NAIDOC Family Expo

"It came completely out of the blue. I was attending the NAIDOC Expo last Friday and next thing I know my name is being called out for this award!" she says.

Melinda, who completed a Bachelor of Business with CQUniversity in 2000, says the award justifies her efforts to motivate other members of her family and the community to go on to further study and education.

"I was the first member of my family to go to university. After I started, my husband Daniel decided to give it a go, and he's since completed a Bachelor of Applied Science through CQUniversity. My brother Malcolm has just started a Bachelor of Environmental Science here as well, and my sister Charlene is in the TEP program" she says.

It is this inspiration that Melinda hopes will rub off on others, and has been something that she has used as a motivator in both her studies and work with the University. 

"I want to give my family and the kids I work with on a daily basis the same kind of motivation and inspiration that my parents gave me. I want them to feel confident to try something, and not be afraid to put everything into it" she says.

Melinda is aiming to commence a PhD with CQUniversity to explore Indigenous issues in education.