Mr Miller (22) completed his three-year bachelor of radiation therapy at Otago University last year and since has been working at the Kathleen Kilgour Centre, a radiation treatment oncology centre in Tauranga.
He not only completed his degree but also recently won the 2019 Angela Allen Travelling Scholarship, worth $5000, for the student who gained the highest aggregate mark throughout their radiation therapy degree studies.
Mr Miller undertook much of his studies at Otago’s Wellington campus, but had earlier set his heart on graduating with his fellow classmates in Dunedin in May.
However, the Covid-19 lockdown meant several ‘‘in person’’ graduation ceremonies at the Dunedin Town Hall could not be held that month.
And he opted to graduate in absentia, attending a later ‘‘acknowledgement’’ event when that could be organised.
Covid-19 also added to pressures on the medical system, and he had spent much of the time since the lockdown began in March hard at work at the radiation therapy centre at Tauranga, Mr Miller said.
He had since taken three weeks off work and undertaken a more than 2000km road trip from Tauranga, visiting friends and family along the way, and would arrive in Dunedin today, before celebrating his academic success at the university ceremony at the Dunedin Town Hall at 1pm tomorrow.
‘‘When news of Covid-19 first started reaching us in New Zealand, I felt a lot of uncertainty around how this would impact my daily life, including my work and upcoming graduation in Dunedin.
When his graduation was cancelled he was ‘‘disappointed but knew it was a necessary precaution’’.
‘‘I feel very lucky to be able to attend a large gathering for my graduation, and sharing that experience with my family.’’
He was ‘‘ecstatic’’ when he was recently advised about his scholarship success.
He felt his years of study had been worth it and felt ‘‘a massive sense of accomplishment’’.
‘‘The first thing I did was call my mum [Kath Miller, of Lumsden], and let her know. She cried when she found out. It was quite a special day for me. ’’
The Otago department of radiation therapy is the national provider of undergraduate and postgraduate education in this field, and has run courses at Otago’s Wellington campus since 2001.
