Gobe Student Receives Deans Award
Lorraine Kari, from Southern Highlands province, recently graduated with the Dean’s Award at the University of Papua New Guinea’s (UPNG) 70th graduation ceremony.
Lorraine achieved the second highest Grade Point Average of 4.54 in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, making her the female recipient of the Dean’s Award in her cohort.
Hailing from the Mendi-Munihu and Kagua-Erave districts, specifically the Gobe area, Lorraine’s education in 2023 was supported through Petroleum Resources Gobe (PRG) company, a subsidiary under Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC).
Lorraine dedicated the awards to her parent. “I would like to dedicate my achievement to my hardworking parents, whose sacrifices and continuous support have been the foundation of my success,” she stated. “I also want to thank my extended family and friends for their encouragement throughout my journey.”
Currently, Lorraine is undertaking her residency with the Department of Health, a mandatory one-year program required to become a licensed Pharmacist. Following her residency, she intends to pursue further studies.
“My goal is to return to the Southern Highlands and serve my community by improving healthcare access and contributing to the overall well-being of my people,” she shared.
Her path to this achievement was not without challenges. “The pressure to keep up with academic requirements, meet deadlines, and maintain good grades was overwhelming at times. Balancing academic workload with personal expectations and responsibilities was not easy,” she admitted.
However, she views these difficulties positively.
“These challenges helped me become more resilient, teaching me valuable lessons in time management, self-discipline, and perseverance.”
Reflecting on her recognition, Lorraine said, “It feels incredibly rewarding and humbling to have my hard work recognized in such a meaningful way. It was not an easy journey, it required a lot of dedication, discipline, and sacrifices.”
She also highlighted the value of the Education Subsidy program. “I think the Education Subsidy program offered by MRDC and its subsidiaries is excellent,” she commented.
“These education subsidies really help students, especially those from communities that are impacted by oil and gas projects such as the GOBE PDL-4,” she added.
“Having that financial backing allows students to focus more on their studies and achieve their best without the constant stress of money problems,” Lorraine explained.
“Personally, I see this as a great way to give back to the community, especially the impacted communities of the oil and gas projects,” she stated.
“It’s rewarding to know that programs like these can make a real difference in people’s lives and open doors that would otherwise be closed.”
Lorraine was one of 24 graduates from UPNG who benefited from the Education Subsidy Program. This program, managed by the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC) on behalf of its nine subsidiaries, provides tuition subsidies to students from mining, gas, and petroleum project areas. Since its inception in 2022, the program has supported 8,848 students.
