“Somehow, I always felt a little guilty that I wasn’t giving my finance career 100 per cent,” Lucy said. “My economics and finance degree included an internship in Melbourne and London. Then, I worked as a graduate analyst in Sydney at a top tier investment bank. In the office, I was the one always eating well and sharing health advice with my colleagues. I started to think about whether I could do it for a living,” Lucy said. “I had also seen a naturopath and was astounded at how good I felt when I followed her recommendations.”

One of Lucy’s friends had graduated from Endeavour and recommended the College. “I decided to start with two Bachelor of Health Science subjects while I worked in finance. I didn’t think about what I’d like to do with the degree,” Lucy said. “But, after that first semester, I knew it was for me.”

“I loved the feel of Endeavour – it was very interactive. I chose Naturopathy because it broadens your capabilities in terms of a career; I love nutrition, holistic wellness and, of course, herbs. There were definitely some challenging parts of the degree because, in many ways, it was so different to my first degree. But I learnt to get over these hurdles, and I loved the challenge. Sometimes, you have to put all your social and family obligations on hold for your studies, but then it’s over before you know it. I had a good support network with my classmates, and we cheered each other on.”

During COVID-19, when the college was in lockdown, Lucy moved back to her hometown of Melbourne and completed a year of solely online-based learning. She finished her degree at the Melbourne campus with a semester of face-to-face clinical studies after moving to the Mornington Peninsula and travelling two to three times per week to college.

While she studied, Lucy worked at Aesop and had a stint in a health food shop. Then she landed a casual role in customer service with 28 by Sam Wood, a home fitness program. As part of Sam’s crew, Lucy advises people about how to use the program to achieve their goals based on their circumstances.

“I enjoy this work, and I thrive off learning from others, but now that I’ve finished my degree, I’m looking for opportunities in product development or research,” Lucy said. “I’d like to use my corporate experience, analytical skills and my naturopathy knowledge to help as many people as possible.”