USC student named Queensland Young Achiever
Congratulations to Marayke Jonkers on being named Queensland Young Achiever of the Year.
Ms Jonkers, who has completed a Bachelor of Social Science (Community Work) and is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts (Communication) won the award on 16 April.
Aside from her university study, Ms Jonkers is an elite athlete and competed in the Athens Paralympics in September last year winning two bronze medals for the 50-metre breast stroke and the 150-metre individual medley.
It was her third Paralympics and she is currently training for the 2008 Beijing Games.
On top of her already busy schedule, Ms Jonkers is launching a career as a motivational speaker.
By no means new to public speaking having started at the age of nine in front of a corporate audience at a state conference, Ms Jonkers is receiving excellent feedback from her clients.
"Being an athlete, I need to fund my training, but nine to five just doesn't suit," Ms Jonkers says.
"I needed to be creative about my income and public speaking is perfect," she said.
Ms Jonkers beat a field of 400 to take the Queensland Young Achiever of the Year Award and intends to use her profile to promote Paralympians and the media status of people with a disability.