COCA News December 2009

Editors • Denis Brosnan & Rebecca McEwen Smith • Volume 9 • Issue 3

‘UQ Abroad – it’s your ticket to the world!’

N ews

C r o m w e l l

C o l l e g e

Within The University of Queensland

DECEMBER 2009

In 2008/2009, Andrew ‘The Flang’ Yorkston, (Crommie 2006/2007) set off for the northern hemisphere to spend a UQ Abroad year at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

He returned to Cromwell in October this year to speak at Formal Dinner about his experiences and to encourage other Crommies to ‘give it a go!’ Here is his story.

“Good evening fellow Cromwellians,

A megalithic masterpiece - Edinburgh Castle

Just so I can get a rough idea of what sort of connection I’ll be making tonight: put your hands up if you think travelling and seeing the world could be a pretty genius thing to do at some point or another. Hands up if you believe Uni has plateau-ed somewhat and you feel the need to spice up your academic life. Hands up if you just flat out like pushing your own buttons, breaking out of your comfort zone, and gaining awesome new experiences.

Well, if you put your hands up for any or all of those queries, you could do far worse than to listen to me for the next five to ten minutes. What would you say if I told you there was a way to accomplish all three in one fell swoop? Well that’s what I want to talk to you about tonight: the sheer brilliance of the UQ Abroad program.

OK, so what is this UQ Abroad program you may ask? In a nutshell, it gives you the chance to study at another university entirely, in a completely different country, WITHOUT affecting your GPA OR putting your degree on hold, and it’s all far less costly than you’d think.

However, I should warn you, there is quite a bit of legwork involved on your part should you decide to go. It’s not easy. First you have to get accepted into the program, then you have to seek approval from UQ for subjects studied whilst overseas, which can be more or less difficult, depending on your Faculty. You then have to actually apply to the university where you want to study, and of course, once you’re accepted, you have to sort out passports, visas, plane tickets, accommodation, travel insurance, Centrelink (if you’re lucky enough to get it), and then once you’re over there you’ve got all the usual concerns of settling in— new phone, new housemates, matriculation into the university, finding your way around a strange new place, and so on and so forth.

It can all get a bit nuts at times, and there are better people than me who have given up when it came to the crunch. But the reason I tell you all this is not to discourage you. Far from it. Once you’ve become acquainted with the crunch, it can actually become quite an amazing challenge. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment simply for wading through the bureaucracy, and, more than anything else, it’s bloody well worth it.

Continued page 2

A Magazine for Old Collegians, Friends of Cromwell, Current Residents and their Families

What’s I nside

From the Principal Academic Dinner 2009 2009 Academic Support Program 60th Anniversary Celebrations Valedictory Dinner 2009

3 4-5 6 7-9 10-11

Chit Chat Round-up

12

Charity Cromwell Style

12

International Dinner

13

Cultural Awards Dinner

14

Sporting Awards Dinner

15

2009 College Medal

15

CROMWELL COLLEGE

Australia for about 4 months now, and thinking back, it’s all starting to seem a little surreal, like there’s no way a place that cool could exist. I just hope the pictures that you’re seeing tonight are doing Edinburgh some justice.

Walcott Street ST. LUCIA, QLD 4067 Ph: (07) 3377 1300 Fax: (07) 3377 1499 Email: friends@cromwell.uq.edu.au Website: www.cromwell.uq.edu.au Mission Statement To provide a vibrant community for students in a caring Christian environment that enables them to grow in knowledge and character and the desire to serve.

Vision Statement Accept diversity Create community Strive for excellence Pursue spiritual, academic, cultural and social maturity Serve Society Care for the environment.

Coat Of Arms When the College was able to adopt its arms, it secured permission from the head of the Cromwell family to bear Oliver Cromwell’s personal arms, a lion argent rampant on a field of sable.

Motto VBI SPIRITVS IBI LIBERTAS – This motto comes from the Latin version of the Second Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians, Ch 3, Verse 17. “Now the Lord is Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Thanks Thank you to all the staff, students and Alumni who have been contributors to this issue of COCA News.

Editors Denis Brosnan, Dean of Students & Rebecca McEwen Smith, Development Manager Graphic Design & Printing Westminster Printing 31 Stevenson Street PADDINGTON, QLD 4064 Collating & Distribution Work Solutions (Wesley Mission) P.O. Box 6402 FAIRFIELD GARDENS, QLD 4103

ong S e g e l l o C l l Cromwe st College,

te is the grea of test; Cromwell ind k ry e ev Proved by ighest knowledge, h e r th best.

Seeking fo ays for the Aiming alw have the victory, when we efeat, Generous we know d Gracious if ’s firm tradition; mwell This is Cro it, our heartbeat! ir g in Free Sp eedom brings us fr it ir p S n w ss; God’s o o we profe Is the mott inspiration, us stress.

It provides in times of r, th g n re st s togethe Gives u e, we stick art; in sh r o il Ha ap ear or far Whether n ue and loyal, tr g, Ever carin ell in our heart. romw C r a e b e W Joy” “Hymn to

usic of g to the m k). song is sun ustralian Hymn Boo e Th C O C A N e w s2 in2th0e A0 9 • P a g e (9

Edinburgh - a city bu

ilt on three levels

I don’t even know where to begin talking about my exchange. I have nothing but praise for Edinburgh itself. It’s beyond cool. For a start, Edinburgh has been the stronghold of the Celts, the Romans, the Vikings, the Scots AND the English, and as such it’s steeped in the kind of history and tradition that we can only guess at here in Australia. This is a city built on three levels—streets pass over other streets and the catacombs lurk menacingly beneath the surface. The city is completely dominated by Edinburgh Castle, a megalithic masterpiece which has kept guard over the Scots for the last 800 years.

Edinburgh has two faces, Old Town and New Town, and it’s rumoured this duality was the inspiration for the Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, when he wrote Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The architecture is a wondrous mix of Medieval, Gothic, Georgian and Victorian, and in true Scottish style, it actually looks amazing in rainy weather; which, as you know, is fortunate, as they have a hell of a lot of it.

The student union building at the university is SO impressive that J. K. Rowling used it as her model for Hogwarts. The Edinburgh “park” is a conglomeration of volcanic crags rising up within the city limits, the largest of which is called Arthur’s Seat, and results have shown that scaling its dizzying heights can cure whatever ails you, including the world’s worst hangover.

As a city it is both cultural and multicultural; my building housed practically every nationality but Scottish. It really is one of the most extraordinary cities I’ve ever seen or heard about. I’ve been back in

I could go on and on about my experiences on exchange, but I don’t want to bore you. I will say, however, that quite possibly the best aspect of going on exchange is the opportunity for travel.

Yeah, it’s cool to be able to witness the workings of another uni; it’s awesome to push the boundaries of your independence; and making friends from around the world is one of the more glorious aspects of life; but being able to pop over to Germany, Holland or France for only 60 bucks return kind of rounds out the whole package rather well, I think.

It’s easy to forget, living in Australia, just how far we are from everything. And this is the benefit of actually LIVING in a different country. Choose a host university somewhere in Europe, and Europe becomes your oyster. Go on exchange somewhere in Asia or the Americas and the same thing is sure to happen there. And, not that I would dream of promoting untoward behaviour, but if all you have to do is simply PASS in all your subjects to maintain your pre-existing GPA, it stands to reason there would be a sizeable amount of extra time available to, say, visit Amsterdam for a fun-filled weekend, or criss-cross Scotland on a great Whiskey pilgrimage. It’s hard to appreciate just how easy it is until you get over there, but take my word for it, an exchange is your ticket to the world.”

friends sample the Andrew (centre) and ‘delights’ of Scotland

From the

Principal

The miracle of straw In his book Unspeakable, Facing up to the challenge of Evil, Os Guinness tells this story. Two men are prisoners in a Russian Gulag. One of them was a Jew by the name of Dr Boris Kornfeld who, in his suffering, was influenced by an unknown inmate of Christian faith. Dr Kornfeld was an intelligent and reflective man who was not only appalled at the evil around him but by the hatred and violence in his own heart. His unnamed friend taught him the words of Jesus, ‘forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us’. The challenging power of this prayer began to work its magic in Dr Kornfeld’s heart and he became a Christian. In so doing, he made the conscious decision not to sign the forms that, as a doctor, he was given to sign but which became part of the paperwork that led to the execution of many prisoners; in addition he opposed and reported fellow prisoners who stole food and medication from his patients. These two choices, made on the basis of his new-found faith, were a death sentence for him and he knew it.

One night he examined a man who was recovering from an operation for stomach cancer. He stayed with this ill man and they talked late into the night; it was at this point that the patient heard the doctor’s story of his life. This was the last conversation Dr Kornfeld had on earth; that night he was beaten to death, but it changed forever the patient and planted a seed that began to destroy the Communist ideology. The patient was Alexander Solzhenitsyn. This is what he later said: “It was only when I lay there on rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good. Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passed not through states, nor between classes, not between political parties either, but right through every human heart, and through all human hearts. “ Solzhenitsyn saw what our culture denies.

The logic of the secular world in which we live gives scant room for the concept of evil or good or personal responsibility. There is no ultimate meaning, no ultimate truth; the best we can do is to create meaning for ourselves. In the secular framework, what is, simply is. This universe is ultimately amoral and it comes as no surprise that many thinking secularists find the prospect

deeply depressing. For Bertrand Russell, mankind ‘is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving.’ In other words, the human story is nothing more than the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms and ‘no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave.’ In such an environment, some surrender to despair, some seek solace in hedonistic activity, some create meaning by doing good things, but all resonate with Frank Sinatra’s song, ‘I did it my way.’

Christmas today is owned by the commercial world. It is all about having a good time, the giving of presents and holidays, the anaesthetising of pain and the provision of pleasure in the world. In the background, cash registers provide percussion, drowning out all memory of the radical meaning of this special day.

Solzhenitsyn saw the truth lying on his bed of straw – he saw the truth that was revealed on another bed of straw. The Jesus of Christmas was born in a grotty manger; he died the cruellest possible death and then, history tells us, was raised from the dead.

It is no accident that the empty cross is the symbol of this faith and it is no accident that, rightly understood, this symbol is offensive or meaningless to much of the world. For the Hindu or Buddhist, life is illusory, a dream, and we deal with suffering and pain by detachment. For those in the secular West which struggles to face the reality of evil and pain and death, we are left only with the choice of filling the emptiness with tinsel, with analgesics, with frenetic buying and with a minimisation of both personal responsibility and mortality itself.

But for those who see through the hype to the bed of straw in a small town 7 km from Jerusalem, what they discover is the extraordinary and life-giving truth that, in Christ, the sovereign God of the universe knows our pain; in Christ, God confronts our pain; in Christ, God prepares the way to heal our pain. More importantly, God knows that our pain is bound to our moral brokenness, to that line of good and evil that runs like a ragged fissure through our hearts.

In the darkness of the crucifixion those nearby heard a terrible cry of desolation: “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” - my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Jesus was born into poverty and died in desolation to break the power of that line of evil that runs through my heart. He walked my road of desolation that I might walk His road

of resurrection. This extraordinary story of redemption and hope is what makes Christianity able to look evil in the face and name it while still maintaining profound, life-affirming hope in the world.

Christmas has forgotten that the baby in the straw grew to be the abandoned and broken Messiah. We have forgotten that truth is not found in the artificial world of Christmas trees and unwrapped presents. We have forgotten that no amount of shopping can deal with the realities of our world; endless wrapping will not cover evil, it will not hide death forever, it will not deal with the brokenness in my own heart. Blessing can only be truly found in and through Him who became a ‘curse’ for us (Gal 3:13), who shouldered the burden of a broken world on our behalf.

I am a positive man and am thankful for the good things of this world. But I am sad that we have walked away from something so important, so wonderful, so full of grace. Christmas is not about me; it is not about my family; it is not about holidays or presents; it is about the man who is the ‘tears of God’, the one who runs to greet us, forgives us, befriends us. Christmas starts with straw, passes through darkness and death and the cruelty of a Roman execution but moves through to the glory of the resurrection and new hope. Until we see the joy of this truth, Christmas will remain a strange mixture of fun, exhaustion, credit card debt and shallowness. It is my prayer that this country will rediscover the truly radical nature of the baby lying in the manger, without having to lie sick and wounded on foul-smelling straw in a gulag, and without having to witness the tinsel of our western world torn down, shattered.

Somewhere, sometime this Christmas, take the time to think and remember the meaning of that baby and that straw and that extraordinary entry of the tears of God into our world.

Hugh Begbie Principal

COCA News 2009 • Page

Academic Dinner Held on Tuesday 18th August, Academic Dinner 2009 is a highlight on the formal dinner calendar which gives residents, members of the College’s Board of Governors, guests and staff an opportunity to honour the academic achievers in our community.

Guest speaker for the evening was Professor Michael Keniger, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor of The University of Queensland. Professor Keniger is responsible for the broad oversight of academic matters in the University, including academic and workforce planning; overall strategic direction and general superintendence of the seven Faculties, the University Library and their budgets; and, with the Vice-Chancellor, he has responsibility for professorial appointments, promotions and continuing appointments.

Other guests included Professor Sushila Chang, Director of the UQ Office of Undergraduate Studies; Professor Roger Swift, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science; Professor David de Vaus, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences and Professor Stephen Walker, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science.

2009

below that for 2008, so you have a challenge ahead of you to make good that gap.”

“Special mention must also be made of our peer tutors, our 2009 Senior Tutor, Daniel Hayes, and our Academic Visitor, Dr Dale Mason. All have given of their time, both formally and less formally, to assist other students this year. The work they do in assuring that all of the students who live at Cromwell are academically supported as part of our Collegiate program is invaluable and deeply appreciated.”

The following is a list of all those students who have achieved a GPA of 6 or higher for the first semester of 2009. Congratulations to all of them for their outstanding achievement.

GPA of 6 or higher in Semester 1, 2009 Katie Ah-Shay

Katrina Knox

Daniel Beatty

Kelly Lohr

Amy Bower

Chris Michalak

Ben Brimblecombe

Andrew Middleton

Seth Cheetham

Olivia Ng

Chloe Chesters

Matt Osmond

Fiona Clarke

Philip Pearson

Jocelyn D’Cruz

James Rowland

Alison Duguid

Caitlin See

Angela Faint

Louise Stephenson

Jessica Foster

Michael Stone

Toby Gordon

Sam Tregea

“As seems to be the usual state of affairs, the women have outperformed the men, with an average of 5.172 compared to the men’s 4.714.”, said Denis.

Lisa Gunthorpe

Matt Whittenbury

Allison Hall

Jessica Wrigley

“However, some exceptional performances have more than outshone these, most notably by Chris Michalak and Andros Zhu who both achieved the remarkable result of straight 7s. In all, 34 residents achieved a Semester 1 GPA of 6 or above.

I must say that this figure is appreciably

Linda Hancock

Lyn Yan

Julia Hayes

Elizabeth Yorkston

Caitlin Holding

Andros Zhu

A notable guest for the evening was Steven Cosnett, Crommie Alumnus (2005 – 2007). Steven was awarded a Bachelor of Arts with Honours Class 1 in the field of Classical Studies and the University Medal at the July Graduation ceremony.

To those who may be unfamiliar with this distinction, it goes to only a small minority of First Class Honours graduates whose GPA has to be far closer to 7 than to 6.

Before announcing the award recipients, mein host for the evening, Dean of Students, Mr Denis Brosnan, alluded to that fact that despite not all results being in, Cromwell’s weighted GPA for Semester 1 was 5 or, to be exact, it was 4.957. This was virtually identical to that for 2007, but a marginal drop on the 5.1 the College had last year.

COCA News 2009 • Page

The College prize and scholarship winners for 2009 are as follows: The Uniting Church Investment Service (UCIS) Prize for first year students with the highest results is awarded to Christopher Michalak, who is enrolled in the Bachelor of Engineering; and Andros Zhu in the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery program They both have the perfect GPA of 7.

The Frederick North Memorial Prize is given each year to encourage those with faith and to remind the whole community that the deep spiritual questions of life and the person of Jesus should not be ignored; and that they lie at the very heart of what this College stands for. The prize this year is shared between two excellent men, Jordan Herd and Sam Pocock.

The Edwin Hobart Lockley Prize, named after the father of the first Principal of Cromwell College, is awarded to a student who has consistently achieved distinguished results in the Faculty of Arts, and the winner this year, with a 3 semester GPA of 6.2, enrolled in both Arts and Commerce, is Toby Gordon.

The Rod McElhinney Prize, is named for a former resident of the College who has generously donated the money for this prize. It is awarded to the student in the area of Biological and Chemical Sciences who attains the highest GPA over three semesters. This year it is being awarded to a student who has achieved a GPA of 6.83, Seth Cheetham.

The VE Hancock Memorial Prize is awarded to the undergraduate who gains most distinction in the area of Business, Economics, and Law. It is named in honour of Mr Viv Hancock who was a Foundation Governor and who made many generous gifts to the College. The recipient of the prize this year with a three semester GPA of 6.3 is Gavin Edgley.

The Governors Prize is awarded to a student with distinguished results in the area of Heath Sciences. This year the award goes to a student enrolled in Occupational Therapy who achieved a three semester GPA of 6.875 - Julia Hayes.

The Cromwell College Prize for a student in the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is this year awarded to a student studying in the Bachelor of Psychological Science program and who has a three semester G.P.A of 6.3. The recipient of the prize this year is Olivia Ng. The Old Collegians Prize is awarded to a student who gains academic distinction

in the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology over three semesters. This year it is awarded to an Engineering student, with a three-semester GPA of 6.75, Alison Duguid.

Last year, the Board of Governors approved a new award, which is named in honour of Yvonne Rogers who was a Fellow of the College and who served for more than twenty-five years on its Board and on many of its committees. Her capacity to care and her willingness to work and to share in a spirit of Christian love were the hallmark of Yvonne’s numerous contributions to our College. The Yvonne Rogers Memorial Prize is awarded to the second-year student who, in their first year at university and as a resident of the College, achieves the greatest improvement in Rank on the basis of their results in their first year of studies, across a full load of courses. In effect, this is the academic counterpart of our “most improved player”, and this is a very suitable image, because the winner is also one of our keen sportsmen, Andrew Fielder.

In memory of Mike Duong (Crommie1960-1964), his fellow students

set up a fund to endow an award, the N C Duong Memorial Prize, to the student who has made a notable contribution to the community’s life, particularly in the promotion of understanding between peoples. For her achievements in bridgebuilding between Indigenous and other Australians in Northern Australia, this year’s winner is Eve York.

The prestigious Cromwell College Foundation Scholarships are awarded “for exceptional performance in any field”. The first winner, who has a cumulative GPA of 6.6 across 5 semesters of Physiotherapy is Chloe Chesters. The second scholarship is shared between two men with identical GPAs of 6.5, also across 5 semesters - in Engineering, Philip Pearson and in Pharmacy, James Rowland.

The D.C. Gale Shield is awarded to the corridor with the highest weighted GPA in semester one. The results are as follows, which leaves in first place Mid Han with a GPA of 5.4, so as the corridor’s Senior, Chloe Chesters was invited to receive the shield.

Corridor

Place

GPA

Bottom Dowling

14th

4.063

Bottom North

13th

4.485

Mid Dowling

12th

4.50

Bottom Cock

11th

4.666

Top Thatcher

10th

4.813

Bottom Thatcher

9th

4.821

Top Han

8th

4.976

Top North

7th

5.129

Bottom Han

6th

5.142

Top Dowling

5th

5.209

Top Cock

4th

5.319

Lockley

3rd

5.325

Mid Cock

2nd

5.355

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

1 - Alison Duguid, 2 – Andrew Fielder, 3 – Chloe Chesters, 4 - Chloe Chesters and Denis Brosnan, 5 - Chris Michalak and Andros Zhu, 6 – Eve York, 7 – Gavin Edgley 8 - Jordan Herd and Sam Pocock, 9 – Julia Hayes, 10 - Mr Ben de Jong, Prof. Michael Keniger, Rev. Dr. Hugh Begbie, 11- Mrs Barbara Merefield and Toby Gordon 12 – Olivia Ng, 13 - Philip Pearson and James Rowland, 14 – Seth Cheetham, 15 - Steven Cosnett - Cromwell Alumnus & 2009 University Medalist

COCA News 2009 • Page

2009 Academic Support Program Cromwell College is committed to the collegiate ideal of a university residence providing explicit commitment to the academic development of residents. In this respect Cromwell College is much more than quality accommodation conveniently close to the UQ campus. In a very real sense the College is an integral part of the university academic experience for our residents. As a collegiate residence Cromwell provides our students with substantial personal support for academic development.

This development takes place through: • the Cromwell College academic Tutorial Program which is available to all first year students;

This last initiative was inspired by Dr. Dale Mason who is the Academic Visitor at Cromwell College. As an experienced academic and former Head of a University Faculty with an equally strong collegiate background, and as a previous Head of a residential College, Dale has worked to marry the College and University relationship.

College tutorials, academic advising and degree program assistance, plus study skill techniques and resume preparation workshops, are among the academic support services available within the collegiate context; they maintain the primary distinction between Cromwell College and a non-collegiate university Hall of Residence.

Importantly, many students attempting to establish themselves in tertiary education, and often in ‘unfamiliar’ studies, can be advantaged if they are prepared to commit themselves to the positive peer pressure that is reinforced through the channels of academic support at Cromwell.

“A frequent and regrettably sometimes justified complaint by University students • informal peer is that nobody cares whether they pass or fail assistance, with in a course, that they the formation feel remote and perhaps of independent UQ Faculty Advisors speak with Cromwell residents at one of the ‘interruptible’ lunches the more cynical, that small study groups Over the past couple of years Cromwell students are little data-processing systems. which are especially important for later College has hosted a series of regular This complaint is uncommon among year students and are actively encouraged lunches inviting Academic Advisors College students.” through the College’s Senior Tutor role; from each University Faculty. At these (Goodwin: To Live in a College. 1968) ‘interruptible’ lunches, and without • oversight of the academic progress the need for any prior appointment, The above quote may be equally as valid of residents conducted by the Dean of students can talk to an Advisor about any today, as it was when the sentiment was Students each semester; individual course concerns or broader expressed 40 years ago!

• attention to the needs of individual degree program issues they may have Goodwin continues: students academically ‘at risk’ who receive within their Faculty such as seeking advice consultation with appropriate academic on program changes, or perhaps future “They (College students) have College study directions and professional career counseling, followed up through ongoing tutorials, and perhaps even more prospects. periodic monitoring throughout the important, they have the opportunities to ask and receive mutual help. Of course subsequent semester; The Academic Advisors in each of the the method works (when) the College is a Faculties have enthusiastically endorsed • close association within Cromwell of friendly one, and the members know each the Cromwell ‘interruptible’ lunches as a University staff members and others of other well.” positive initiative. Importantly a number a scholarly or professional distinction in of students have taken advantage of the This exemplifies and gives real substance attendance at weekly Formal Dinners; opportunity with some students expressly to the concept of collegiality – through appreciating the timely opportunity • the recent and welcome attendance of the fostering of positive psychology in a and the personal value in being able to Academic Advisors from each of the seven friendly College environment that values meet with University Academic Advisors UQ Faculties at informal lunches at the each individual resident, and adds value to informally yet informatively.

College. the academic development of students.

COCA News 2009 • Page

Cromwell College

rd th rd th Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 2010 Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 July, July, 2010

*Invitations outininApril April2010 2010.

Invitations will will be be sent sent out

*Anopportunity opportunity not not to to be *An be missed! missed! *Catch up up with Crommiesfrom fromyour your era era and and celebrate * Catch with the Crommies celebrate the at Cromwell!

Cromwell! thetime timeyou you lived lived at ***Wanted Table Captains *** Table Captains *** Captains*** ***Wanted Table Please Raise Your Hands.

Are you in contact with many Crommies from your Please YourCrommies Hands. from your era?

Are you in contactRaise with many ***Wanted

Please Raise Your Hands.

era?

Would you like to you be Table Captain and many organise a Nominate as aaTable Captain and organise group of Crommie friends Are in contact with Crommies from youra era? of your Crommie friends to be at your table th for 60 Anniversary Dinner? to help celebrate the 60 Anniversary of Cromwell Nominate as a Table Captain and organise a group of Crommie friends to helpCollege.

We need a number of Crommies who would like to Were you one of the Table Captains at the 50th Anniversary celebrate the Anniversary nominate as Table Captains and60th organise a group of of Cromwell College.

Crommieorganising friends to celebrateawith them. of Crommies from your era at Cromwell?

Reunion? enjoy table Were you Did one ofyou the Table Captains at the 50th Anniversary Reunion? Did you enjoy organising a table of Crommies Were you one of the Table Captains at the 50 Anniversary Reunion? Did you enjoy Would to do the same organising ayou table oflike Crommies fromfrom your era at Cromwell?

Would you like to do you like to do the same your era at Cromwell?

Would again? again? the same again?

Tables for the Anniversary Dinner on the Saturday night will be limited!

Please contact Rebecca McEwenTables Smith, Development Manager, Cromwell for the Anniversary Dinner College, on the Saturday night willso be we limited!

Would to topre-book a table/seat?

Let us know can save a space and let her knowyou of your like willingness act as a Table Captain.

Would you like to pre-book a table/seat?

Let us know so we can save a space for you. for you.

No

group the 2010

th

th

Contact: Rebecca McEwen Manager, Cromwell College Contact: Rebecca McEwenSmith, Smith, Development Development Manager, Cromwell College Ph: (07) 33771232, Fax: (07) 33771499, Email: r.mcewen@cromwell.uq.edu.au Ph: (07) 33771232, Fax: (07) 33771499, Email: r.mcewen@cromwell.uq.edu.au

Make a weekend of it!

The Universityof of Queensland Queensland Centenary Alumni Reunions areReunions on the sameare weekend!

Justsame The University Centenary Alumni on the think of the fun think you could your College, your School,with your Faculty and all weekend!

Just of have the reuniting fun youwith could have reuniting your College, your School, your allall ofinyour University of yourFaculty Universityand friends, one spot on one greatfriends, weekend.all in one spot on one great weekend.

COCA News 2009 • Page

Looking for our 1975 1979

Title Mr Mr Ms Mr Ms Mrs Ms Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms Ms Mr Dr Mr

Lastname ABUDULAH ADJEI AGNEW AMPOFO ANDERSON ANDERSON ARLOTT ARMSTRONG BAKER BAUMANN BEDRIE BERRY BIBERA BISWAS BOOTH BRAZIER BROWN BROWNING BROWNING BRYANT BUCKLEY BURTON BUTLER BYRNES BYRON CANTWELL CARTMEL CHAN CHINAKE CHUDLEIGH BLAKE CLUNIE COATES CONROY CURTIS EVANS EVANS

Ms Mr Ms Mrs Mrs Mr Mr Mr Ms Mr

Mrs

Firstname Muhammed Maafo Natalie James Kim Sharon Shirley-Anne Margot Paul Mark H. Gillian Sibilina Haridas Rosemary Paul David & Helen Kimberly Shane Sharon Peter Melinda Alan Owen Michael Vincent Lucy Chi Kian Tosarepi Amos Alan Julie David Andrew Alexander Nia David & Kim Kim

Title Ms Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr

Firstname Leslie William Kim Janine Julie Catherine Peter Wendy Sonia Jennifer Helena Terri Alan Peter Bradley Macelinda Alison Si Ho Helen Keisuke Albert Sai Khiang Gregory Kenneth Nicola John Carolyn Shanti Richard William

Lastname ADAMSON ADAMSON ARMSTRONG ATHERTON CLOUD BERNUT BERRY BLACK BLACKBURN BLAKEY BLUNDELL BOWEN BRADLEY BROWN BULOW CEPE CHALMER CHAN CHAPMAN CHIKAMI CHONG CHOW CLARK COUSINS COWHAM CROSSWELL CRUST DAHIA DAVIES DODD

Mr & Mrs

Ms Mr Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms Mr & Mrs

1980 1984

Unconnected Alumni

COCA News 2009 • Page

Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Mrs Ms Mr Mr Ms Ms Ms Mr Mrs Mr Prof Mr Mr Mr Dr Mr Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms

Graham Karin Andrew Neil Pius Glenys Murray Midori Alexander Amanda Vibeke George Braddon Louise Masamichi Marie Atho Kimiko Djoko Tsuneo R Alex Kock Lertporn Gregory Gregory Anukool Gail Jeanette Donna Michelle Katherine Jane Giles Kerrie Gaston Francis Cesar Robina

KAY KAHRER KENT KENZLER KETAREN KEY KING KUROKI LAI CHI KEUNG LOVELL LUND MASON MCDONALD MILLS MIYOAKU MORRIS MUDZHAR OCHI MURSITO NASU NG NG PARASAKUL PEARSON PHILLIPS POLSIRI REHBEIN REID REID REID ROBERTS ROOTS RUSSELL SABADINA SAUMA SEFE SEVILLA SILVA

Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Ms Ms Mr

Mr

FACTORA FALUKU FARQUHARSON FARROW UPCHURCH FISHER FOOTT FOSTER FREIBERG GAVEN Stephen & Janet GAY Judith GIFFORD Robert GILMOUR Takeo GOTO Roger GOULD Jon GRAYSON Robert GREGOR Grant GRIFFITHS Caecilia GUNAWAN Diana HALL Mark HARDY Yoshihiro HASHIHARA Mohammad HASSAN Julie HEIDKE Dianne HEIDKE Wendy HELLINGA Elizabeth HEPPLE Tai Shing HO Robert HOLLAND Patricia HOLLAND Jayant JAMNADAS Hashim JAWAHIR Bernard JENNINGS Birger JENSEN David JOHN Lenard JOYNSON Terry & Melissa KARYDAS Kazunari KATSANUMA

Ms Mrs Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Mr Ms Ms Ms Mrs Mr Mrs Mr Ms Mr Ms Ms Mrs Mr Mr Mr

Catherine Debra Angela Zoe Brenda Susan Janet Antony Judith Samir Lachlan Helen Belinda Vikki Melinda Michael Jenny-Lea Claire Patricia Sharon James Tracey Scott Kerri Mark Cynthia Atsumi Susan Ted Chi-lui Andrew

Ms Mr Dr Dr Ms Mr Mrs Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mrs Mr Mr Dr Ms Ms Mrs Mrs Mrs Ms Mrs Mr Mr Mr Mrs

Margaret Rusmin Raewyn Brian Marlita Karl Amanda Kym Mamoru Keiko Nobuo Russell Koichi John Wai-kei Christopher Jennifer Yoshitaka John Tak Sui-leung Kathy Tracey Tracey Meredith Ann Wendy Paul Ian Brent Jennifer

HUNTER JAAFAR YUNAMU JAMES JANDAYAN JESIENOWSKI JEWELL JONES KADOTA KAMADA KATATA KELLY KINO KIRKEGAARD KO KOHLER DAVIES KUBO LAMBIE LAW LI LINDSAY LUTTON LUTTON ANDERSON MACKENZIE MADSEN MANGER MANNION MARCOMBE SHAW

Ms Mr Mr Ms Ms Mr Mr Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Ms Ms Dr. Mr Ms Ms Ms Mr Dr Ms Ms Mr Mr Mrs Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr

Mr & Mrs

Ms Mr Mr Mr Mr Dr Mr Ms Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms Ms Ms Mrs Dr Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr & Mrs

Evelyn Tuipulotu Kerry Karen Glenda Gary David Denis Judith John

DUFFY DWYER EAMES FARMER FERGUSON FERGUSON FIRKIN FORD FREEMAN GANGOPADHAYA GIFFORD GILLIES GIRDLER GOATHAM GOODRIDGE GRAYDON Charlier GREER FREDERICKS CAMPEAU HARRIS Waters HARRISON HARTLAND HARTMAN HARVEY HATAKENAKA HENDERSON HENRIKSEN HO HOCKING

Ms Mr Mr Ms Mr Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Mrs Mr Mrs Ms Mr Mr Mr Dr Mr Mr Mr Dr Ms Ms Mr

Hubert Binod Israel Brian David Jose Wendy Deborah Arturo Shingo Victoria Thirapong Michael Sharon Colin Gary June Jaqueline Linda Sandra Yvette Helen Ian Merrilyn Alison David John Craig Kevin Frederick Tsutomu Margaret Jill Linda John

SIMPSON SINGH SIOW SMITH SMITH SORIANO STOCKWELL STRONG SY TAKECHI TANNER THIRAPATSAKUN THOMAS THOMPSON THORNE TOAKLEY TRAPP TRUEMAN TUOHY VIGAR VON SANDEN WARBURTON WILKINSON WILLCOX WILSON WILSON WILSON WHITEFORD WONG YADAWILO YAMAGUCHI YAZDANI YOUNG LODER LIDDY JACYSZYN

Gail Neale Steven Joanne Susan David Dinesh Tania Phuhao Louise Ralph Shane Judith Miyoko John Antonia Maria Wendy Keryn Paul Jennifer Lynn Jennifer Anthony William Amanda Jitendra Robert Fraser Peter Vernon

MASON MAYNARD MCCABE MORRISON MORTON MOSSOM NAGIN NEWTON NGUYEN NOBLE NORTHEY O’KANE O’NEILL OKAMURA OUTRIDGE PAMPLON PARE PAVEY PAVIOUR-SMITH PAYTON PEARSON PHILLIPS PITT POINTING POINTING POWER PRASAD RIDGEWAY ROSS RUDDER RUDWICK

In light of the upcoming celebrations in 2010 we would like to be able to reconnect with as many of our Alumni as possible. Can you help us to find and reconnect with those Alumni who are on our ‘Returned’ lists? In this edition we continue with the next lot of five year groups and will follow on with the remainder in the April issue. If anyone is still in contact with or knows of the whereabouts of any of these Alumni, please ask them to contact the College.

1980 1984 Cont’d

1985 1989

Ms Mr Mrs Ms Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Ms Ms

Carol Sakayu Anya Ikuko Adriana Judith Andrew Mika Darryl Janette Catherine

Title Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms Mrs

Firstname Gerhard Julia Kirsten Elizabeth Maree Tessa Leanne Julia Angela Tanja Dennis Stephen Jason Leticia Catherine

Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Dr Ms Ms Ms Ms

Kartini Itsue Yukari Rhoon Thay Jane Kusuma Kevin Jessica Ruth Cora Seevika

SUKARDJI TAMAI TANABE THEN THIRNBECK THONGSOMCHITT TREACY TUMAO TYMAN VANLEEUWEN VORASANTA

Mr Ms Ms Mr

Ms Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Mrs

Lastname ADAMS ALLISON AREND BAKER BARKER BARNETT BEAR BERESFORD BERNING BEZUIDENHOUT BLACK BRYCE BULL BURKHARDT BURNIE Peter & Catherine BURNIE Andrew BUROW Helen BYERS Alison LARWILL Timothy COLLARD Alan COLLETT Suzanne PATINO Emma CREWDSON Jeff DAKIN Mark DELANEY Michelle DENT Mariko DOI Claire DUGDALE Ross & Monique DUNCAN Clarissa EDWARDS Russell EDWARDS Debra ELAND Joanne ELPHINSTON Nicholas ENTSCH Deborah EVANS Katrina KELLY

Mrs Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Ms Mrs Mr Mrs Mr Mr Mr Ms Ms Mrs Ms Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Ms Ms Mr Mrs Mrs Mr Mr

Christine Richard Miriam Anthony Roger Douglas Setsuo Michael Johanna Kylie Andrew May Toyoshi Mikio Alastair Ann Julie Ann Carolyn Wayne Kaori Hidenori Mark Yuzuru Angus David Tania Sarah William Julie Jennifer Simon Craig Greg & Karen Wendy Jessica Natalie

Title Ms Mr Mr Ms Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Mrs Mrs Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms

Firstname Barbara Matthew Damien Rachael Simon Tracey Pamela Clare Geraldine Romina Romina Steven Helen Jacqueline Matthew Kirsten Megan Dorothy Jennifer

Ms Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Mr Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Mr Dr

Mr & Mrs

Mr Mrs Ms Mr Mr Ms Ms Mr Mr Ms Ms Ms Mr & Mrs

1990 1994 Remaining names cont’d next issue

ATKINS SAKATA SALMON SAWADA SCARBOSSA SEDGWICK SHAW SHIMANOUCHI SMITH SPARKS SPEDDING

Lastname ADAM ALJIAN ALLEN ANNING ATKINSON BAIGENT BALDAUF BANCROFT BARLOW SCIBERAS BARNES BECKER BLEAKLEY BOND BORGHERO BOWE BRADBURY BRIGHTON BRODY

Mr & Mrs

Ms Ms Ms

Dr Dr Ms Mrs Ms Mr Mr Mr

Robyn Joanne Susan Pam Carowyn James Geoffrey David

WILSON WOLTER YEATES LEONG EBERT DEMACK BAGGET LAWRENCE

Mr& Mrs

WALKER WALLIS WALSH WATSON WATSON WATSON WEAVER WELFORD WHITAKER WHYBIRD David & Leslie WILLETT

SIDDLE FARRELL FERGUSON FIFOOT FORD FORD FUKUDA FULCHER EMORY WIEBUSCH GREGOR BASTERFIELD HATTA HAYASHI HAYWARD HEAGNEY HENBURY PETERSEN HUNTER ILLIS INOVE ISHIKAWA JAMES KATAGI LAMBIE LANG LAWRIE LINDSAY LINDSAY LOCKHART THORNTON MAFFEY MANLEY MANNING MARTIN MCCOWN METCHER

Mr Mr Mr M Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Mr Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Ms Ms Ms

Klaus Rodney Andrew Sekiguchi Andrew Susan Susan Cara Jan Tiffany Catherine Yuko Linda Katsuji Toni Edward Steven Hamish Anil Sanjay Lisa Maxine Craig Nyree Jan Phillip Tracie Junko Mina Christina Michael Anne Stephen William Karen Tracey Frances

MICHALOWITZ MILLER MILLSOM MINA MORAN MORRISON MORRISSEY MORTON MUIR MULLER MURPHY NAGUMO NITSCHKE ODA ORTON PREISIG PREISIG PRESSLAND RANA RANA REID REID ROCKLIFF ROCKLIFF ROHDE ROSE SAMPFORD SATO SEKIGUCHI SEPPELT SIEVERS SLEEMAN SMITH SMITH SMITH SNOECK STEPHENSON

Mr Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Mrs Mrs Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms Mr Mr Ms Mr Ms Mrs Mr Mr Mr Mrs Mr Ms Ms Ms Ms M Mr Mrs Mrs Ms

Peter Christopher Bin Lin Susan Daniel Masako Anne Jane Ivo Wendy Peter Peter Stephen Marcia Warwick Dale Katie Peter Helen Lisa Andrew Peter Irving Sonia Wayne Joy Catherine Kayren Susan Mika Julian Belinda Karen Helen

STUBBS SUTHERLAND TEH THACKER TINCKNELL TOYODA GODFREY VAN GEND VAN HOORN VINSON WADLEY WALLER WALLER WALLER WATERS WATSON WEAVER WILDERMUTH WILKINSON LAMBIE WILLETT WILLIAMS WILLIAMS WILLINGHAM WILLIS WOOD WORFOLD YARROW YATES YOKOYAMA YOUNG WERGALL MANNING BROWN

BURNEY BURROWS CH’NG CHAN CHEESMAN Edwin Tec Heng CHEW Felicity CLARK Rachel COLE Allison COLEMAN Belinda CORFIELD Gordon CORFIELD Adam COWLS Jan WESTERHUIS Katherine CRAIG Natalie CRUMP Shelley DANIEL Anouk DE RUITER Susan DEAN Cameron DEAN Alexandra DONALDSON

Ms Ms Ms Mrs Mr Ms Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Ms Mr Ms Mr Mr Mr Ms Ms Mr

Samantha Catherine Karen Vivienne Alan Catherine Nicolas Rowena Megan David Maree Fleur Andrew Liezl Ian David Troy Lauren Karen Michael

DONALDSON DORR DUBAY CORNEY EAGER EARNER EARNER ENGLISH FAIRFIELD FALLON FALLON FISHER FRASER FRIELINGSDORF FULTON GARVIS GIANDUZZO GIANOTTI GREENWOOD GUILFOYLE

Mr Mr Ms Mr Mr Ms Mr Ms Ms Mr Dr Ms Mr Miss Ms Mrs Mr Mr Ms Ms

Timothy Brendan Nicole Gavin Malcolm Janet Allan Narelle Kylie Alfred Allan Natalie Paul Sonia Yvonne Janelle Jonathan Bryn Do Hee Julia

GUNTON HANRAHAN HARDY HARRIS HASKINS KENNEDY HOOD HOOPER HOUGH HOWELL HUDSON HULBERT HUMBLE STEPHENSON INGEN-HOUSZ JEYNES JOHNSON JONES KIM KWOK

Regina Georgina Lisa Ev Hui Ian Janet

Mr & Mrs

Mr Ms Mrs Mr Mr

Andrew Carol Louise Craig Darryl & Julie Peter Merrin Tania Glen Scott

COCA News 2009 • Page

Valedictory Dinner 2009 Brother and sister, Jessica and Sam Pocock, were amongst the thirty-six residents who left Cromwell as Valedictorians at the 48th Valedictory Dinner held in October this year.

The night was a special blend of tears and laughter, fellowship and strangeness as those who were staying in College for another year said their formal goodbyes to those who were leaving.

Guest speaker for the evening was Ms Anne-Marie Birkill, Chief Executive Officer at i.lab Incubator Pty Ltd at Toowong. Other specially invited guests included a number of Alumni, Friends of the College and Parents of Residents and Alumni who had made donations to the College in the past two years. It was an opportunity to thank them for their generosity to the College and to include them in one of the most important events on the College’s calendar.

The toast to the Valedictorians was given by Students’ Association Vice-President for 2010, Monty Summers, and the response was given by outgoing 2009 President, Gavin Edgley.

Dr Begbie had some wonderful words of advice and direction for those that were leaving Cromwell and heading off to continue their studies or to start their careers. And as always we at Cromwell hope that those, who have now added their names to the ranks of our Alumni, will choose to stay in touch and keep us informed of how they are faring.

Farewell from Dr Begbie It is now time for me to say good bye. As you set out into the world, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready for anything, your enthusiasm is, I am sure, laced with a little fear and uncertainty, and with good reason. You are entering a world that is facing enormous challenges in the years ahead.

Now I don’t wish to spoil your dinner and your celebration but I have to say that the western world has not prepared you well for this journey.

We live in an era in which we have a wonderful capacity to ease pain; but at the same time we have unprecedented ability to cause it. Every day our papers are full of man-made tragedy and destruction. Our capacity to destroy the environment, or cause mayhem in war has never been greater. To make things worse, our means of describing or understanding this phenomenon has been crippled by the denial of the concept of evil in the western world. Bad things are always someone else’s fault, or a product of society, or the result of poor self-esteem; I am never the problem. But the truth is more humbling. G.K. Chesterton, one of the greatest English writers of the early 20th century, saw a headline in the paper which said; ‘What is wrong with the world?’ He wrote in a letter to the editor, ‘Dear Sirs, I am, respectfully yours, G.K. Chesterton.’

Chesterton was saying something deeply profound. That is, that at the heart of the human dilemma lies a profound selfishness. This selfishness can be secular and godless or it can be religious. Either way, the anthem that lies at its heart is, “I did it my way”. This song that Frank Sinatra sang on his death bed and which is played at many funerals today may be beautiful, but its message is profoundly destructive. It is the anthem of rampant consumerism; it is the anthem of Wall St, it is the anthem of a lot of College activity, and it is an anthem, if I am honest, I too am tempted to sing.

Every year as our valedictorians go out into the world, I try to leave with them a little reminder of the Christian faith. True Christianity is about recognizing that at the heart of the world’s problems is my desire to put me first, to make myself Lord, to chuck my cans in the garden,

The 2009 Valedictorians

A full house for Valedictory Dinner

COCA News 2009 • Page 10

Glenden Aprile Ben Brimblecombe Daniel Campbell Chloe Chesters Stephanie Courtice Gavin Edgley Lauren Edwards Sam Eldridge Mallory English Jane Fisher Meg Fowler Peter Frazer

to do it my way. It is also about a radical and gracious God who in Christ entered our broken world to rescue us from the consequences of our self-centred and destructive nature. It is a message of profound and surprising grace.

I am aware that often I am seen as the bad guy, the one who sets out to restrict options, limit your capacity to do it your way. This perspective may also lead to a view that the Christian faith is about rules and shutting things down. It may, therefore, surprise you to know that I am deeply aware of my human frailty and that what I do, I try to do out of love for God and love for you.

Successfully or unsuccessfully I have attempted to place God’s grace into the centre of what I do.

What are your goals in life? That’s an important question for you as you head off on this new phase of life. As you do so, note that many set goals over which they have no control. This leads to frustration, depression and despair. I have personally come to believe that there are only two great goals in my life, both of which lie within my power to pursue. They are to love God first and love my neighbour second.

As you go out into the world, be aware that your culture denies, even mocks the Jesus who, above every other human person in history, has shown what living these two goals means. The way of God, the way of the cross is abhorrent to our self-actualizing world which proclaims instead the gospel of the white coat; the new day that science, economics, psychology, business leaders and politicians will bring our way. As Australians we oscillate between cynicism and trusting in such leaders as our messiahs. The truth is, that while they have a part to play, they cannot deal with the problem of the human heart.

And so as you leave this place, I challenge you to look more deeply at the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. For despite all the mocking of our self-seeking world you may find at the foot of his cross the life and joy that you truly seek; and if you do, you will discover the strange paradox that life is not found by holding on, but by letting go. It is not discovered by doing it my way, but by doing it His way.

Valedictorians 2009 Toby Gordon Timothy Greenbury Miranda Hamilton Terry Harvey Daniel Hayes Larissa Hursthouse Bridget McNee Hayley Miskin Philip Pearson Jessica Pocock Samuel Pocock Nathan Riedy

Warwick Rivlin James Rowland Tegan Slape Michael Stone Tighe Summers Michael Taylor Jenna Thompson Belinda Upton Aaron Van Der Werff John Vizcay-Wilson Alastair Walker Jessica Wrigley

‘Badger’ searches for an epiphany It’s the attitude at the beginning of a journey that dictates the outcome. This rings particularly true when casting one’s mind back to the very beginning of our time at college, when our current Valedictorians were blessed by some very wise words; “Move to the music. Play that lovely music. Move it to the music, yeah. Move to my music. Play that delightful music, Live through my music, yeah!”

It’s been three years since we were greeted on our first morning of college by those immortal words, and that terrifying noise as we were thrust into college head first.

And since that first shaky morning, we have come a long way.

In writing this speech, it really hit me.

This is an important occasion; this is it.

This is the culmination of our time here at Cromwell. With all this time spent here, surely I can draw out something profound for an occasion like this. That’s easier said than done, so I thought it best to start with a few unforgettable, defining experiences, while in search of an epiphany worthy of tonight.

When the vast majority of us started here at Cromwell, we’d just finished school. We were faced with many years of uni ahead, and this awesome opportunity of college.

My Mum and Dad helped me move into a room right up the back, in a quaint little wing some of you might have heard of, called Lockley. When ‘Dilmah’, my friendly, smiley-faced, lovely Senior showed me to my room and welcomed me with a big hug, Dad had no doubt that this place was definitely a goer. To be honest, I reckon he was keen to stay himself.

Once Dad was out of the way, I soon learnt about ‘Crommie tikka’. And there’s one person that really did it for me – ‘Kelvin’. The image of her chasing down a King’s guy, stealing his hat, and being pursued before being tackled into a stand at market day, will stick with me. She had guts, and she had her whole heart in this College. Now that’s ‘Crommie tikka’.

I’m not sure how much ‘Crommie tikka’

she was showing when, in ‘O’ Week, she gathered lots of rope and tied together the doors of the leaders’ rooms in her corridor so they couldn’t open them to wake her up, but she was spirited all the same.

We learnt about the mystery of The Protector, and the many forces of the universe that have prevented it from happening throughout our time at College. Some of these forces come in disguise, even in the form of love. ‘Slarv’, as his Media Rep role ramped up, fell deeply in love and was married moments after leaving College. Is it a coincidence that this delayed The Protector? I think not. College works in mysterious ways.

Throughout our time at college we’ve had numerous sporting and cultural wins, far too many to list here, which have filled our hearts as we soared towards victory well too often. We learnt about life as we shared up to three standard drinks with Mr. Begbie on any one occasion. To be honest, in preparation for this night, I found that it’s easy to list our experiences, but it takes something else to draw on the feeling that’s in the air.

Perhaps I’m taking the wrong tack here in my search for an epiphany. What does our future hold? Our Valedictorians will move on. We’ll move out, finally make that last step and become truly independent. No longer will our day-kid Uni friends laugh at us when we tell them someone comes in and makes our beds and changes our sheets every week. Still no speech-worthy epiphany.

What will we miss? Perhaps it’s DC? Is it the sound of the toilet roll holders squealing, a sound which resonates off the brickwork so beautifully here at Cromwell? Probably. Will it be that magical hole that we can put all our dirty plates in once we’re finished with dinner?

Yep. But that isn’t quite the crux of the issue I’m chasing.

The common thread here is that these are all experiences; perhaps that’s where I’m going wrong? These are the things that we tell our friends and parents about, that seem absolutely ridiculous to outsiders.

Our traditions - they’ve made our time at College great, right?

But there’s another common thread here tonight, and it’s not tradition. Consider for a moment a Cromwell in which we lost all of our regular, year-to-year activities. If Chris the Cleaner were to stop offering us tickets to ***CONCERT***, and instead, bear with me now, chloroformed our pillows so we forgot every one of our traditions. How would you look back on your time at College?

I’d be willing to postulate that once we got past the splitting chemical headaches, the ambience wouldn’t be so different tonight.

And so, the epiphany. I’m willing to pitch the idea that it’s not our traditions and antics that have made us grow so attached to this place. It’s the life-long friends that we have made, and will continue to share our lives with as we continue in our careers. It really is the people around us, the ones that we’ve shared so many great times with, that matter most.

So to wrap up, let’s revisit the next verse of that immortal song with which we first exercised our way to success, and I think you’ll find it remarkable just how relevant they are to tonight’s Valedictorians.

‘Play that flipping music, Live through my music, yeah!

Now we are wise, yeah it’s funny, we’re in this together.

And through it all, they said nothing’s forever.

Just look and you’ll see the change in me, The world’s in for a shake up!

Come on, come on, come on.

Let’s get it on!’

And as we move with the music of the rest of our lives, it is through the life-long friendships here that we learnt many of our best moves.

Thank-you Cromwell for three wonderful years.

Gavin ‘Badger’ Edgley Crommie 2007 – 2009 President, Cromwell Students’ Association, 2009

COCA News 2009 • Page 11

CHIT CHAT

Round Up

Hello From: Phil Anning (1967 – 1968) I’ve changed roles within the Department of Regional Development, Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources, moving from Alice Springs as regional director in the desert to Katherine as regional manager in regional development.

Hayley and Roger’s

Wedding Day

Hayley Robertson (Crommie 2006 – 2007) married Roger Mason (Crommie 2007) in July this year. Hayley says the day was just wonderful and they enjoyed a blissful two weeks in Bali on honeymoon!

Hayley and Roger on their wedding day

Charity – Cromwell style

This is career number five, apart from some short term secondments. It is challenging and stimulating. The new role has me representing the Northern Territory Government on the MacArthur River Community Benefit Trust on the eastern boundary and the Ord River Stage II on the western side. In between are some significant developments in agriculture, mining, transport etc. Indigenous economic development is a major focus and there is quite a lot happening (many Indigenous enterprises presented at an Indigenous Development Forum in Alice Springs in October, which our division managed).

Part of the job of Vice-President of the Cromwell Students’ Association is to take on the role of Fundraiser and along with a group of interested and committed like-minded Crommies, to help raise funds for various charities throughout the year.

My role is basically enabling regional and Indigenous economic development to occur. It means lots of coordination, communication and developing projects. It means I get to travel quite a lot – most recently to the Tiwi Islands for an economic development committee meeting and visiting some local enterprises. The regional development team in the Northern Territory is a relatively small unit of about 25 people with the majority located in the region (including the executive director who is in Alice Springs).

The group started with the World’s Greatest Shave in April and made just over $1,200 for the Leukaemia Foundation, which goes to help provide practical care and support to patients and families living with leukaemia, lymphomas and melanomas. The monies raised also go to help fund research into better treatments. Six of the Crommie boys put up their hands to have their heads shaved at the event held after formal dinner. One of our own Crommies, Monty Summers, is recovering from his own battle with leukaemia.

We are enjoying Katherine which is called the ‘Rivers Region’ of the Northern Territory – lots of permanent waterways and interesting features for exploring.

Cromwell’s adaption of ‘Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea’ in May became Australia’s Biggest Supper. A large contingent of residents turned out in the JCR and enjoyed tea, biscuits and cakes. and contributed almost $200 to the cause. It all goes to helping the Cancer Council, which raised $10.6 million for the event this year, with their research, prevention, education and support activities.

Katherine Fuller (2006 – 2007) An update on my career - I recently gained a cadetship with the Australian division of Shell and joined my first ship in mid-October. Basically it will be three years of training - half understudying officers onboard ships and half at Maritime College to become a third mate (whose role is to help navigate a ship and take care of her cargo). The company runs crude oil and natural gas carriers.

COCA News 2009 • Page 12

The 2009 Fundraising troop consisted of Belinda Upton, Vice-President, Mitch Harwood, John Flett, Ella Smith, Anna Durance and Joanne Landmark.

One activity which was not meant to raise funds but to raise awareness of the need to cut back the amount of energy being used was Earth Hour in May. Cromwell was plunged into darkness as residents turned off their lights and computers and gathered on

North Lawn with blankets and guitars and sat listening to music and chatting with each other for an hour. It was a great time for all to give up something to help reduce their energy output for a short period of time.

The students took part in another Cancer Council fundraising event in August, Daffodil Day. Over 150 fresh daffodils which had personalised messages included were sold to residents, some of whom used them as a surprise present for their Ball Ask partners.

“The money we raised on Daffodil Day was an opportunity for all of us at Cromwell to help give hope for a brighter cancer-free future for ourselves and for those we love,” said Vice President, Belinda Upton.

About 15 students took part in 40 Hour Famine held from 21 - 23 August. They raised almost $200 to support the World Vision projects that are fighting the Global Food Crisis in Kenya and Cambodia where people are at risk of starvation. Some of the students gave up food, whilst others gave up their use of their technology and others gave up their right to use modern conveniences for the time period (e.g. slept on the floor, ate on the floor).

Crommie students held a ‘Supper for Cambodia’ in October to help support their nursing colleague, Lisa Gunthorpe, to go to Cambodia in January 2010, with a group of fourteen second year volunteer nursing students. The money raised, $140, is going towards medical supplies including syringes, I.V. poles, bandages, paracetemol and stethoscopes. The students will be working with various communities in Cambodia which have problems including HIV, hepatitis, typhoid and tuberculosis.

International Dinner 2009

A great lesson regarding the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’.

International Dinner is now established as one of the three major formal dinners that are organised by the Students’ Association. This year’s International Student Officer was Charles Butler, a second year Commerce student from South Africa and formerly Zimbabwe.

But the theme for the night took a markedly different and very interesting direction from previous years, as Charles explains.

“This year for International Dinner I attempted to avoid the usual custom of having a guest speaker and instead opted for a more interactive approach. The main aim of the dinner was to highlight the disparity of wealth in the world today but to present it in a way that the students could relate to.

“This entailed having tables split up into nations, of which four were developed countries, two were developing nations and ten were under-developed nations.

‘The rules and regulations of the evening are….’

All seated ready for their food… or not, as the case may be.

‘We have some food’

“At the beginning of the night the developed nations were given an abundance of food and water whilst the underdeveloped nations were given next to no food and water. This trend continued for the rest of the night with the developed nations receiving chips, chocolates and lollies for national events, bumper harvests etc, and, due to trading rights they were only allowed to share these goods with other developed countries.

“This obviously irritated the hungry people in the underdeveloped nations as they watched their friends gorge on good food.

“This process I think taught the majority of Cromwell students, at least for a little while, what more than half the world goes through on a daily basis and once everyone was served a proper meal I am sure everyone felt that they had enjoyed the night and even learnt a few things in the process.”

‘We have some food too… and we’re still smiling.’

COCA News 2009 • Page 13

Cultural Dinner 2009 Cultural Dinner is, as always, a tremendous recognition of the very talented residents who live at Cromwell and provides and opportunity for all residents and staff to applaud the wide variety of talents among their peers.

Cultural Convenor for 2009 was Jane Fisher.

Council Cup (ICC) Cultural Calendar; Debating, Art Show, Bandfest, Choralfest, College Idol, Chess, Oratory, One Act Play and Dancefest.

Cromwell residents competed in all of the nine events scheduled on the Inter-College

The Stephen Carlton (Cromwell Alumnus 1981 – 1988) Prize of $300 is awarded

The major awards presented on the night were Convenor of the Year Award, The Cultural Cup Award and the Stephen Carlton Prize.

annually to the student who has made the most significant contribution to the cultural life of the College and who has encouraged other residents to become actively involved in cultural activities.

Sam Eldridge was awarded the Convenor of the Year and Mitchell Harwood was the recipient of the Cultural Cup and the Stephen Carlton Prize.

The following are the recipients of the trophies and medals for their roles in each of the ICC and college events.

Event

Trophy

Medal

Artshow

John Flett

Caitlin Viscay-Wilson

Idol

Sam Eldridge

Amy Bower

Boatcruise

Bridget McNee

Stephanie Courtice

One Act Play

John Vizcay-Wilson

Nicola Ward

Choralfest

Alexandra Davey

Christian Retschlag

Dancefest

Jessica Butler

Monique Smith

Bandfest

Michael Stone

Amy Bower

Debating

Caitlin Holding

Clare Griffin

Oratory

Caitlin Holding

Clare Griffin

Gavin Edgley, Sam Eldridge & Jane Fisher

Stephen Carlton, Mitchell Harwood, Gavin Edgley & Jane Fisher

Cromwell’s position on the ICC Cultural ladder was similar to that in 2008 although there were a couple of outstanding wins for Cromwell in the College Idol and Oratory sections. The overall results for each of the events are as follows.

Debating 14%

Art Show 5%

Bandfest 14%

Choralfest 18%

College Idol 3%

Chess 7%

Oratory 5%

One Act Play 14%

Dancefest 20%

Total

Cromwell

4th

9.5

6th

2.5

7th

5

6th

8.5

1st

3

6th

3.5

1st

5

2nd

12.5

9th

4

6th

53.5

Duchesne

8th

3.5

2nd

4.5

9th

2

7th

6.6

4th

2.1

5th

4.2

6th

2.5

4th

9.5

7th

8

8th

42.9

Emmanuel

Ist

14

4th

3.5

1st

14

2nd

16.1

3rd

2.4

1st

7

7th

2

8th

3.5

2nd

18

1st

80.5

Grace

10th

0.5

7th

2

2nd

12.5

8th

4.7

7th

1.2

d/c

0

8th

1.5

7th

5

8th

6

9th

33.4

I.H.

5th

8

1st

5

5th

8

4th

12.3

5th

1.8

8th

2.1

3rd

4

5th

8

3rd

16

3rd

65.2

St. John’s

7th

5

8th

1.5

6th

6.5

5th

10.4

6th

1.5

3rd

5.6

4th

3.5

1st

14

6th

10

4th

58

King’s

2nd

12.5

5th

3

8th

3.5

9th

2.8

8th

0.9

2nd

6.3

disq

0

9th

2

5th

12

7th

43

St. Leo’s

9th

2

d/c

0

4th

9.5

10th

0.9

disq

0

7th

2.8

5th

3

disq

0

disq

0

10th

18.2

Union

6th

6.5

d/c

0

3rd

11

3rd

14.2

9th

0.6

d/c

0

d/c

0

3rd

11

4th

14

5th

57.3

Women’s

3rd

11

3rd

4

10th

0.5

1st

18

2nd

2.7

4th

4.9

2nd

4.5

6th

6.5

1st

20

2nd

72.1

COCA News 2009 • Page 14

2009Sporting Awards Dinner It was the year for Cromwell in the ICC Men’s Athletics as our secret weapons, namely the Summers twins, blitzed the field and got a first placing. There were also some equally exciting second and third placings in tennis, volleyball, squash, rugby and soccer. The women also did well in tennis, volleyball, hockey and squash.

Sporting Convenors for 2009, Tighe Summers and Bridget McNee, organised the 2009 Sporting Awards Dinner which was held on Thursday 22nd October. Special guest speaker for the evening was former AFL player and now television presenter and radio commentator, Richard Champion.

The evening was, in a word, awesome, as usual.

The very talented 2009 Cromwell sporting ladies with Richard Champion

Those magnificent Cromwell sporting men of 2009 with guest speaker, Richard Champion (back row, second from left)

2009 In awarding the 2009 College Medal at Valedictory Dinner, Dr Begbie spoke as follows: “The College Medal provides an opportunity for me to remind us all that this College has a purpose. That it was established to help young adults find their way through University and into the world according to a vision informed and empowered by the Christian faith.

Since 1950, the world and this country have changed dramatically. In many circles the Christian faith has been forgotten or opposed; indeed many do not even know the story at all.

“So when I get a chance to remind you that Jesus has had a greater influence on human history than any other person and that the faith that flowed from his dying and rising has had a huge influence on many of the things in this country we have taken for granted, I will take that opportunity.

Sporting Convenors extraordinaire – Tighe Summers and Bridget McNee

College Medal “The recipient this year is an active Christian. He has endeavoured to live as a Christian in a good and caring way.

While he would be seen as living on the conservative end of the College spectrum, he is widely respected. Others have lived as Christians in the College too, but I want to honour this person because he has also contributed greatly to the life of the College. Academically he has set an excellent example with a G.P.A. of over 6 and he has been the recipient of three Dean’s commendations.

“He has been a faith attendee and participant at College functions and a participant in and supporter of sport. In the cultural arena he has been involved enthusiastically, particularly in the area of drama. Finally, he has been a first class Senior, carrying out his responsibilities faithfully, looking after and caring for his corridor with compassionate reliability and fulfilling his contract in the most

assiduous but pleasant manner. He is someone of whom I can say, he is trustworthy, reliable and mature; a person this College can be proud to call one of its own.

“His name is Ben Brimblecombe.”

Ben Brimblecombe, 2009 recipient of The College Medal.

COCA News 2009 • Page 15

e m o v 9 c 0 0 l 2 e W Wel com e 9 0 m 0 2 o 2 c l e 0 0 W009 2009 9

2009

End of 2009 happenings

The Crommie gi rls waiting to serv e up at Academic Dinne r 2009

The Dining Hall set

ner

up for Academic Din

speaker at Richard Champion – guest 2009 the Sporting Awards Dinner

We are on top of the world

2

osition of ed for the p n g ai p m ca ctober Ella Smith 10 in the O 0 2 r fo t en Vice-Presid elections

Terry Harvey gets in the mood at Valedictory Dinner 2009

Fresher of 2009, Jessica Butler, received her award at Cultural Dinner. (From left, Jane Fisher, Belinda Upton, Gavin Edgley, Jessica Butler and Stephanie Courtice)

The Extended Cromwell Community Uniting in Friendship for the College Future

4 Yes! I am pleased to send my gift to Cromwell College Foundation (ABN: 26 282 868 309) to help support young people now and for generations to come.

Please send your gift to Cromwell College Foundation, Walcott Street, St Lucia Qld 4067.

Phone 3377 1300 Fax 3377 1499 Email friends@cromwell.uq.edu.au Web www.cromwell.uq.edu.au

My gift is enclosed for:

$50

$75

$100

$250

Other $ __________________

I enclose my cheque or money order made payable to Cromwell College Foundation (crossed Not Negotiable) OR credit card

Mastercard

Visa Card

I would prefer to donate On-Line

Signature on card: ___________________________

IRI

SP

Today’s Date: ____________________

Holder’s Name: ______________________________

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/Dr____________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________ Postcode __________ Phone (W) _________________________ Phone (H) ___________________________ Facsimile ___________________ Email _____________________________

Request Anonymity

Please send me information on Leaving a bequest to Cromwell College Assisting with Alumni events and programs (If your details have changed recently please indicate in area above). Please note that all gifts are tax deductible - Your receipt will be sent to you.

ER

/

VBI

Expiry date

TA S

Card number TVS IBI LIB