Adult student graduates first class honours in social work

Darinee Turnwald, 49, graduated with first class honours in social work in Tauranga on April 20. Photo/Andrew Warner

As a teenager Darinee Turnwald's high school friends were starting to join gangs and dabble in drugs.

Now, the 49-year-old social worker helps people escape the path she could have once easily followed.

"When I was younger I got into trouble," Turnwald said.

"And my friends just wanted to get into more and more trouble," she said.

But instead of following in her friend's footsteps, Turnwald turned her back on her troubled teenage years and decided she wanted to become a social worker.

"I started practising Nichiren Buddhism, with its fundamental philosophy of promoting equality, and the inherent potential and dignity of each individual person.

"I realised then that I wanted to be a social worker."

But at only 18 years old, Turnwald was advised to gain life experience first and only enrolled at the University of Waikato four-and-a-half years ago.

Turnwald graduated with first class honours in social work at the University of Waikato's annual graduation ceremony at ASB Arena yesterday. She was one of 120 graduates who attended the University of Waikato's final ceremony before the new campus was built in February 2019.

Turnwald now works as a community social worker at the Waihi Community Resource Centre helping to reunite parents with their children and working with troubled teens.

Joining university in her 40s, Turnwald said her Buddhism and support from friends and family gave her the self-belief to study as an adult student.

"That was what got me through and helped me realise my full potential," Turnwald said.

"There were heaps of times when I wanted to give up, but it was just putting one step in front of the other. Don't ever give up."

University of Waikato vice-chancellor Professor Neil Quigley said the new Tauranga campus had been designed to hold graduation ceremonies on site.

"Being in town means the ceremonies can be held in Durham St and we will also be able to have a parade in town," Quigley said.

"In the future if we have to have two or three ceremonies to fit all of our graduates and their families in, then we can."

University of Waikato Graduation 2018:
- 120 graduates
- 2018 marks final graduation ceremony before new campus opens
- New Tauranga campus opens February 2019