GROWING up 1000km from the sea, Jaz Fusi discovered her dream was to become a marine biologist when she dissected a squid during a school trip to Newcastle.
The Year 6 student was one of 25 primary and high school students from the remote town of Menindee, in the state's far west, who made the 16-hour bus trip to take part in a University of Newcastle (UoN) program this week.
After first visiting the city last year as part of the Children's University initiative, Jaz said she hoped to one day study marine biology.
"Last time when we came, we dissected a squid, and I like it, I don't know why but it's really interesting and I want to learn more about it because we haven't discovered a lot of it," she said.
Students from Menindee Central School, and others from the Hunter, went to sessions at the NUspace building and conservatorium on Tuesday to learn about pathways after school.
Menindee student Lucas Meehan said becoming a singer or an actor was the dream, but was open to other ideas.
"Just ... see really what I like the most," Lucas said.
Menindee school's community engagement leader Daniel Fusi said he hoped the children left the university day knowing it was not a "big, bad, scary place".
"It just changes their outlook, it opens their eyes up a bit to different things and possibilities that they could do," he said.
The sessions - which on Tuesday included music, theatre, architecture, chemical engineering and digital culture - were part of the Children's University program's on-campus discovery days.
The visits, involving more than 40 Hunter schools in the past week, are an opportunity for kids to familiarise themselves with university, and also incorporate industry collaborations.
"It's all about getting young people excited about university, as well as learning about how to get on the pathway that best suits them - no matter where you live or where you come from," UoN's widening participation pathways manager Seline Darney said.
The children's university program encourages kids between seven and 14 to discover new experiences outside the classroom, in their communities, and on campus.
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