Leaping out of her comfort zone to achieve a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 6.1, earning the coveted status of valedictorian, and landing her dream job as a publicist with Channel Nine, were not outcomes Abbey Stuart entertained when she made the tearful trek from Singleton to Brisbane three years ago. Although studying business at the Queensland University of Technology had always been the plan, leaving behind her close knit family and becoming a “small fish in big pond” was a daunting prospect. However, rather than shying away from this challenge, this tenacious young lady embraced the new direction her life was taking. She pushed herself when it came to taking every opportunity that presented itself in relation to both her personal and professional development. From undertaking five internships which included managing the social media accounts of a leading Brisbane fashion boutique and working on a movie set, to being a state finalist in the Miss Universe competition and the social convener at her college, Abbey did it all. “Hard work works,” she says. A message the high achiever eloquently conveyed during her inspirational valedictorian speech last month. With her family in attendance, she reiterated the significance of these three words. “My mother, Maria Stuart, is a single hard-working parent, who solely raised my two sisters, Amber, Marley, and I,” Abbey explained. “She once told me a small phrase that became my daily mantra, she once told me that ‘hard work works’ and I’ve realised that nothing, if but that is true.”