Autumn
Magazine 2017
NGARRA dunmorelangcollege.nsw.edu.au
INSIDE
International Womens’ Day
Global Leadership
Corroboree
Welcome
WELCOME TO OUR FIRST EDITION OF NGARRA FOR 2017. WHILE IT IS ONLY MAY THE YEAR IS WELL UNDERWAY WITH ASSIGNMENTS DUE AND THE FIRST SET OF MID-TERM EXAMS FOR SOME, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF STUDENTS ALREADY ENGAGED IN INTERNSHIPS AND PACE PLACEMENTS.
A
round this time of year we begin our annual visits to career fairs and schools around NSW with supplementary visits from our Student Ambassadors who travel back to their schools to talk with Year 11 & 12 students about their experiences at university and how best to prepare for that important next step.
Ngarra means ‘listen‘ in the Darug language
This year we are also changing our admissions processes in response to the announcement from the Universities Admissions Centre that university offers to NSW HSC students will be released a week after they receive their ATAR. This means the mid-January ‘main offer round’ will become a ‘December round’ with offers being sent out December 21st followed by a ‘January round’ on January 12th after IB results are released. As a consequence students will no longer need to wait a month for their offer much reducing their stress and uncertainty as to what they will be doing in the year ahead.
Dunmore Lang College and Macquarie University both support this change and we will bring the first round of the College’s accommodation and scholarship application and offer dates forward to meet these changes. We will also hold back a number of places for the ‘January round’ to ensure students sitting IB exams or applying from interstate and overseas are not disadvantaged. Once again it is a privilege to highlight the achievements of some of our current students through the magazine and I hope you enjoy reading about their enthusiasm and passion for making a difference through their university studies and community service.
ALASDAIR MURRIE-WEST PRINCIPAL
This certainty will also help students and families to have a more relaxed Christmas break and provide additional time to prepare for their transition to university including securing accommodation and increasingly part-time work nearby to support their studies.
ACK NOWLEDGEMEN T OF COUN TRY Dunmore Lang College acknowledges the traditional owners of the land upon which the College is situated. The College also acknowledges the generous contributions of the Walanga Muru staff and especially Aunty Elaine Chapman as the College’s Indigenous pastoral care adviser. In 2014, we were honoured to name the College magazine, Ngarra, which means ‘listen‘ in the Darug language and we are grateful for the invaluable assistance provided by Mr Chris Tobin, Uncle Lexodious Dadd and Aunty Elaine Chapman in assisting us with this. This shared journey is deeply rooted in the College’s history and it is our privilege to continue the legacy of Miss Dorothy Knox, who established the College, and Rev John Dunmore Lang, our namesake, who were both strong advocates for the rights of Indigenous Australians.
2 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
Cover photo: -Joseph Valastro (Darwin), Jessica Rexrode (Gorham USA) and William Chaffey (Tamworth)
B R E A K FA S T W I T H O BA M A Other highlights from Washington: • Received a private tour of the Capitol from a former congressman (who is the only person to ever co-sponsor legislation with then Senator Obama). • Attended the first event hosted by Joe Hockey as the Australian High Commissioner with whom I also spent time over the following three days. • Met the former Australian Defence Minister Kevin Andrews. ON THE DAY I FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL IN 2008, THE THEN SENATOR OBAMA WAS ELECTED AS THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
A
t the time, if you had asked me then if during his time in office I would have the opportunity to be in the same room as him along with dozens of US Senators, Congressman, and other officials, I would have laughed at that ever happening.
In addition to the time spent learning from our national leaders including Governor General Peter Cosgrove, Bill Shorten, and Scott Morrison, I was also able to spend time with two incredible group leaders and the six delegates in our small group.
However a series of events during my time at Dunmore Lang College and afterwards created this incredible chance of a lifetime for me.
Each of the delegates were exceptionally talented individuals with the potential to make their impact on the world.
During my first year at Dunmore Lang, I was selected to attend a leadership conference, the National Student Leadership Forum, in Canberra and this experience became a catalyst for many of my future endeavours and achievements during my studies at Macquarie University.
During the four days, I loved the opportunity to have a leadership role that was primarily focused on mentoring the delegates and being able to use the skills I had developed from my roles at Dunmore Lang College.
The National Student Leadership Forum instilled a belief in me that I could do anything and over the next three years at Dunmore Lang I was fortunate to be involved in some incredible events including working on the NAAUC conference where I got to debate on the floor of the NSW Parliament, help raise $6,000 for the Red Frogs charity and meet James Magnussen, as well as coaching a water polo team to success in international tournaments (being the youngest coach of the NSW Country boys team and achieving the best team results in 30 years), being elected ADS President, obtaining a graduate role with NAB bank among many other opportunities. On my first day as a NAB Graduate, I was told about their Community Leave policy which provides two days of paid leave each year to work on any community project staff choose. Hearing this, I thought about how I could use this to give back to somewhere I had benefited from others’ generosity: My first thought was to volunteer as an assistant leader at NSLF and to give the same experience to the new delegates as I had in 2011. The conference was held just two days after Malcolm Turnbull became the new Australian Prime Minister and the first public speech he gave was to the conference of student delegates.
In addition to receiving very positive feedback from the group leaders I worked with, the conference organisers offered to sponsor me to attend an event in Washington and further my personal and professional development. This led to the opportunity to attend the National Prayer Breakfast.
• Followed a friend into a meeting room to a Q and A session with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. • Met one of the influential figures who helped end Apartheid in South Africa and also manage the transition afterward. • Listened to a speech from Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe (named in “Time Most Influential 100” in 2014) and got a hug from her in the lift afterward. Her speech was the most incredible story of self-sacrifice and personal strength that left no dry eyes in the room. • Listened to a speech from House Speaker Paul Ryan. • Listened to a speech from House Minority Leader Nancy Polisi. • Discussed Rugby Union, Cricket, the Transpacific Partnership and economic growth strategies with New Zealand MP Alfred Ngaro (who last month was promoted to the New Zealand cabinet). • Spent time with the staffers and interns of Senators and Congressman and discussed (debated) economics and other issues.
They added that they had not taken anyone as their guest since 1996 and I was lucky enough to meet that person, Joe Hockey, in Washington as he was just taking up his new post as the Australian High Commissioner to the United States of America.
This was all against the backdrop of the New Hampshire primary and Iowa caucus where Donald Trump was still discussed in these ‘establishment’ circles as a joke and the overwhelming feeling was Marco Rubio would be the nominee if he could beat Jeb Bush.
The National Prayer Breakfast is a nondenominational religious event which runs for three days and includes a wide range of meetings and lectures discussing the role of faith and leadership in the world. The event culminates in the Thursday morning breakfast where the keynote address is given by the President of the United States.
This opportunity was one I was incredibly lucky to experience and while it was a reward for the hours that I have volunteered in a number of roles helping others, it is not the reason I volunteer. The great personal enjoyment, growth and opportunity to learn new skills means just as much although this was a very much appreciated bonus.
This was a very challenging experience for me as a lot of what happened and many of the other delegates had diametrically opposed political and world views to mine. Although this was daunting at the time, I enjoyed the many in-depth conversations with some of the most caring, intelligent and articulate people I have ever met. Upon reflection, this allowed me to develop a more comprehensive understanding of their beliefs and convictions and gave me a new level of respect for those with vastly different opinions to mine.
JOSH MAGANN
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 3
Commencement Dinner 2 0 1 7 COMMENCEMENT DINNER IS ALWAYS A JOYOUS OCCASION WHEN WE WELCOME NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS TO THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF RETURNING STUDENTS IN THE YEAR PRIOR AND FIRST YEAR STUDENTS WITH THE PRESENTATION OF AWARDS AND BURSARIES. THIS FEBRUARY WITH A FULL COLLEGE OF 282 STUDENTS THE DINING HALL WAS ALIVE WITH EXCITEMENT. We also acknowledged the generosity of our donors, especially Mr John Almgren AM and Mrs. Yvonne Almgren whose generous support continues to touch the lives of many of our students.
O
ur student speakers for the evening were Matt Wesley, ADS President and Danielle Malone, Senior Resident Adviser. Matt spoke about the importance of recognising the choices we have and while there may be times when we feel constrained or defined by the choices we have made in the past, by being true to ourselves, we each have the power to alter these and change the perceptions others may have of us by making different choices now. He especially emphasised to the first-year students the important opportunity they have to start again at university and Dunmore Lang without any past handbrakes or expectations. Danielle, drew upon her personal experience to focus on the importance of reaching for your goals and beyond. She highlighted the importance of self-belief and taking opportunities that you encounter along the journey and the ways in which doing this has enabled her to reach beyond what she imagined was possible when she first left school and began an apprenticeship. She spoke about the opportunities she has taken to study overseas, speak at conferences and the success she has had in her studies as well as her industry placements and internships; firstly at QANTAS where she was awarded Indigenous Intern of the Year and now at KPMG.
4 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
During the breaks we were entertained by Emily Haldane performing ‘City of Stars’ and by Hannah Kwon who was accompanied by Enrique Fox while she sang James Bae’s ‘Let it Go’. At the conclusion of the dinner, staff, student leaders and awardees enjoyed supper and an opportunity to meet Board members and guests at Dorothy Knox House.
THE COLLEGE IS ABUZZ WITH
THE PRINCIPAL AND DEAN SHARE AN INTEREST IN THE NATIVE AUSTRALIAN BEE AND THE BENEFIT THEY PROVIDE TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND WERE BOTH KEEN TO INTRODUCE SOME NATIVE BEES TO THE COLLEGE GROUNDS.
Native Bees
A
fter some internet based research the Dean of Students became very interested in the blue banded bee and planted a number of their favourite bushes in the hope that some might be attracted to her garden. After some months Liza was delighted to see that a number of blue banded bees were buzzing about. A wider variety of bushes are planned around the Dean’s garden for next summer. The Principal took advantage of the Ku-ring-gai Council’s WildThings programme and now has a native stingless bee hive in his garden. The hive will produce a small amount of native ‘sugarbag’ honey which will be harvested under the skillful eye of Jamie Twyman, the College Maintenance Coordinator, an accomplished bee keeper himself who regularly enters his honey in local competitions!
T H U R S DAY M E A N S
Australia has over 1,500 species of native bee, and the Sydney region is home to about 200 species. Of these, only one species, Tetragonula carbonaria, lives socially, storing honey and pollen in its hive. The remaining 199 or so live solitary lives, and nest in a variety of substrates such as hollow stems, old borer holes and dead tree branches.
TOA S T I E S !
THE COLLEGE TRADITION OF ‘TOASTIES’ IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THURSDAY MORNING BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER OUR COMMUNITY MANAGER, GEROME, STARTED WORKING AT COLLEGE IN 2016. In the early hours of each Thursday morning, Gerome would make his way down to the fridge in the kitchen to find trays of toasties prepared and ready to go into the toasters for anyone who was hungry or looking for a study break to enjoy. From the very first evening demand was strong and ‘Gerome’s Toasties’ were a big hit with not a crumb left within thirty minutes. This year the students are helping with the preparation of the toasties on Tuesday evening in readiness for the hungry hoards on Thursday morning. The RAs assist by volunteering their floors to be on ‘Toastie Making Duty’ and a small group descend on the Dining Hall to prepare for the next night (and have a bonus Toastie on the night)!
1 West were our first floor to volunteer
Level 2 New Wing are all smiles on Toastie Duty
With the popularity of this midnight feast the Toastie tradition is here to stay!
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 5
Celebrating
I N T E R N AT I O N A L WO M E N ’ S DAY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY IS A GLOBAL DAY CELEBRATING THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOMEN.
T
his year Jenna Lindbeck and Lily Stewart decided to mark the day by asking the students to make a Facebook post to the Dunmore Lang College Students’ page of a woman who has inspired them.
The winner was decided on the qualities and impact as described in the post and the College donated a Fitbit as the major prize. Our Facebook page was flooded with wonderful and incredible stories of women who had made huge impacts in people’s lives. There could however only be one winner and in this case it was Katie Hickling. Congrats Katie!
6 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 7
N E W Y E A R B R I N G S M O R E R E N E WA L
T
his year we have concentrated on adding new study facilities and upgrading common spaces.
The Common Room which was fully renovated in 2014 now has new benches along the corridor allowing for more casual study spaces and social interaction for those who like to study in the midst of all the action. A welcome addition has been a brand new ping pong table. The library has undergone a major facelift and with the removal of the book shelves and a new colour scheme making it a light and airy space in which to study. The bookshelves and books (including a number of new additions) are now located in the corridor near the Common Room.
Once again with the beginning of the new academic year we have taken the opportunity to upgrade some facilities around the College.
The library 2016
The Postgraduate Common Room has been painted and the kitchen removed opening up the room to make it a more welcoming and usable space. Over the next break, we plan to add a door way, joining the Senior and Postgraduate Common Rooms to provide a larger space as well as greater integration between the senior cohorts.
The library 2017
A roomier Postgraduate Common Room
New benches and stools near the Common Room
8 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
Summer in Peru OVER THE SUMMER BREAK I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO PERU AS PART OF A PACE UNIT FOR MY UNIVERSITY STUDIES. THIS WAS A MONTH LONG STAY IN THE CITY OF CUSCO, WORKING WITH AN ORGANISATION CALLED PERU’S CHALLENGE.
P
eru’s Challenge was set up ten years ago by an Australian woman and her Peruvian husband with the aim of helping residents in the villages surrounding Cusco by improving their living standards, health and income. This is an amazing organisation, which has helped multiple communities and has raised the average weekly income of families living in these communities from $3 USD to $97. Peru’s Challenge puts great emphasis on working with the communities, finding out what they want and need and partnering with the people to create sustainable communities. Whilst in Peru I lived in a house with 16 other students from Macquarie University and our days consisted of construction work, projects for Peru’s Challenge, Spanish lessons and teaching students in the school. Construction was a lot of fun, we definitely learnt lessons in using all the resources available to us! For example when we were building a toilet block, any of the dirt that was dug up for trenches was later mixed with water and used for mortar between the mud bricks. Being 3,400 meters above sea level working in Cusco added another level of difficulty to construction, walking upstairs would leave you out of breath, let alone moving wheel barrow loads of rocks! However, seeing the difference that was made in these villages with just a little bit of work was very rewarding and definitely worth the effort. Living conditions in the villages was poor. An average house would consist of a mother, a father, at least one grandparent, and multiple children, all living in a one room hut with a dirt floor, no windows, and very little ventilation for
the open fire. Peru’s Challenge goes into these communities and helps to open up the houses with ventilation and sanitation. A fresh water supply is developed and the locals are assisted to get their farms running sustainably. There are also classes providing education to give adults the skills to make a steady income. It was great going into one of the finished communities and seeing how Peru’s Challenge has helped these villages to flourish. Jane, one of the founders, told us a story about a group of women she brought together to talk about issues they are facing and from this, the group decided to knit clothing and sell it locally to earn money. When they began making a profit, Jane spoke to them about the money they had made and asked what they wanted to do with the money. Jane expected them to want to buy a TV or a stereo, which are common purchases in the village, however, after much discussion the women decided that they would like to pool the money and go to Machu Picchu, a
...seeing the difference that was made in these villages with just a little bit of work was very rewarding and definitely worth the effort. national treasure, which up to this point was unaffordable for the locals due to travel costs and entry fees. An opportunity of a lifetime was presented to these women who, with babies on their backs, have now not only seen Machu Picchu but most of the sights throughout Peru. This is just one story of many that were so heart-warming. Rather than wanting material items that they have never had access to, these women chose to do something that would enrich their lives and provide them with memories to pass on to their children. Peru is an amazing country, with beautiful scenery and people. I am so glad that I have been able to have such an amazing experience: My time in Peru has given me the opportunity to live amongst and learn about another culture and broadened my world view immensely. CHELSEA JEFFERY 2017 RA ARMIDALE DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 9
O Week!
AFTER THREE MONTHS OF PLANNING, BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS FROM THE O-WEEK LEADERS, THE FIRST-YEARS MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS ‘FRESHERS’ STARTED TO WANDER INTO THE ALMGREN CENTRE FULL OF ANTICIPATION FOR O-WEEK 2017 AND THE YEAR AHEAD.
T
he theme of O-Week for 2017 was FOMO – Fear of Missing Out – with the added theme of ‘Inclusivity’, as we started the first steps towards creating the community known as Dunmore Lang College 2017. The first group activity was a Scavenger Hunt to help the new students learn their way around the College and break the ice a little. Some of the elements of the hunt were:
r H un t e g n e v a c S
he utter in t acket of b p a t a E • ll it dining ha nd drink cordials a e h t ll a ber on • Mix n ADS mem • Follow a wide the Instagram ny bricks a m ow h 37 is • Find of room 3 outer wall ial Media oc S the Knox ss u c is D • esley h Matt W Policy wit at FIFA mes Riley • Beat Ja
On the Monday, after some team building in the early hours, the first-years attended a series of highly informative seminars which were a major success. These seminars included a visit from the NSW Police, Headspace, Macquarie University security, Red Frogs and a chat with our Principal on the expectations of students in the college. That night we held the inaugural Foam Party. Think 5x5m canopy knee deep in foam whilst the freshers danced the night away. This was a major turning point in O-Week as the OWLs watched everyone become more and more comfortable in College and with each other.
Come Tuesday, random teams were selected so students could meet others from around the College. Each group were given an egg and a starting clue before being escorted to the city to compete in the College O-Mazing Race. Students completed challenges in various places around the city from The Star to Hyde Park to the Opera House. We returned to College where the greatly anticipated annual Miss DLC event took place. After many laughs we returned home closer than ever. Wednesday to Friday provided opportunities to prepare for University with tours to Macquarie University on Wednesday morning and afternoon including time for students to purchase textbooks and become familiar with the location of all the buildings on campus. That night, we enjoyed a harbour cruise, which, for those who were new to Sydney, was breath-taking and for those of us who are familiar with our beautiful harbour, a reminder of how lucky we are to be living in such a wonderful city. For lunch on Thursday, we had a picnic with Robert Menzies College and enjoyed some cricket in the adjoining park. It was a good opportunity to evaluate the competition for that night’s annual Dance-Off. Unfortunately, our moves to ‘One Dance’ by Drake were no match for RMC’s. Friday allowed for further relaxation after a very entertaining week. On Friday night some of us went on the annual Pub Crawl in the city. Not even the insistent rain diminished everyone’s excitement. The Café Crawl occurred at the same time hosted by the Red Frogs. Participants enjoyed ice cream and limitless chocolate treats visiting some of the best cafés the city offers. On Saturday, new and returning students attended the White Party... think paintable white clothes! It was a very successful event and was an excellent opportunity for new and returning students to meet each other and have a great night. I would like to thank the ADS executive team, the O-Week leaders, College staff and most importantly the freshers who made the week one of my most enjoyable at College. I look forward to the year ahead, and if O-Week is anything to go by this year will be amazing. MATT WESLEY, ADS PRESIDENT TAREE
10 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
Check-in Day
T
CHECK-IN DAY IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING DAYS OF THE YEAR. IT’S THE START OF NEW BEGINNINGS AND FOR MOST IT IS THE FIRST TIME MOVING AWAY FROM HOME.
here were a couple of nervous faces around (some from students and others from parents) but the ADS and Committee heads did an amazing job helping everyone settle in. You couldn’t miss them in their bright orange t-shirts. The students and parents were welcomed with cappuccinos along with some refreshing gelato from our gelato bar. Being a hot summer’s day the gelato bar was an absolute crowd favourite! After everyone had checked-in parents and students gathered in the Dining Hall for a presentation by the Principal Dr Alasdair Murrie-West. After the presentation the College Resident Advisors, ADS Executive and O-Week leaders introduced themselves and welcomed our new students to the Dunmore Lang College family. A big thanks to all College staff and student helpers for making this day a memorable one. We are looking forward to having yet another amazing year at College in 2017!
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 11
THE 2017 RESIDENT ADVISOR (RA) TEAM Eloise Matthews NEW WING L3 I am in third year of my Bachelor of Laws, majoring in Social Justice. Coming from Goulburn, Dunmore Lang has helped me to smoothly transition from country to city. I’m your go-to girl for any law questions, love a hit of tennis, will always accompany you to Cargo bar, and maybe a body pump class at the gym if I feel motivated.
Ben Saunderss 1 EAST
I am studying Law and Applied Finance and I come from Inverell. I’m in my third year at Dunmore Lang after moving here from the country. I love College and everything about College life.
I have loved every second here at Dunmore Lang and can’t wait for another fantastic, fun-filled year. If you’d like a chat, or someone to enjoy makeup tutorials on YouTube with, you’ll find me on the second level of Penthouse (New Wing). 2017 is going to be incredible!
I want to give all of the ‘Dungeon’ crew and DLCers beyond the best time of their lives during their stay :)
Danielle Malone 4 WEST
Chelsea Jeffery NEW WING L2
I am currently studying a Bachelor of Speech, Hearing and Language Sciences and my home town is Armidale, NSW. Some of my great loves include Harry Potter, cooking, fishing, and Grey’s Anatomy. I want 2017 to be the best year the Penthouse has ever seen, and I am looking forward to working with the other RAs to achieve this. Come over and say hi at any time.
My name is Danielle Malone and I am a 5th year College student and 3rd year Resident Advisor. I am from Wandandian on the south coast of NSW and I study a Bachelor of Business Leadership and Commerce, majoring in Human Resources. I’m in 4 west tutor flat, so come and visit anytime. I’m always up for a chat and putting on a good time for everyone. Last year was the best year, so I set the challenge of making this year even better!
Li Ren Teo 2 EAST
Maggie McGinley 2 EAST Hey! My name is Maggie McGinley, I’m 20 years old and I grew up in the Ballina/Byron Bay area of northern NSW. I am beginning my third year of Applied Finance & Economics double, and having just returned to Australia from a semester exchange in Utrecht, the Netherlands, I am super excited to be back home at DLC! I’m looking forward to being in this fun and lively environment again and hope this year will be the best yet!
12 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
I am Li Ren, from Johor Bahru, Malaysia. I am studying Bachelor of Actuarial Studies with Bachelor of Science (Decision Science). I am interested in badminton and foooodd! Other interests include soccer (just watching it, my skills are quite rubbish). You’ll Never Walk Alone – Especially in Dunmore Lang! Feel free to come say hi to me! I hope to make sure everyone in College feels welcomed and no one is left out.
Hilary Eddy 3 WEST
My name is Hilary Eddy and I am from Orange, NSW. I study a double degree; Bachelor of Laws with a Bachelor of Applied Finance. I am the biggest Harry Potter fan you’ll ever meet and love travelling and photography. As an RA, I hope to contribute to the inclusivity of Dunmore Lang College by helping to bring together a great floor who can become a “second family” to each other. Coming to Dunmore Lang was one of the best choices I have made, making lots of great new friends and being presented with such a wide range of amazing opportunities. You can find me up on 3 West if you ever want a chat.
Nick Brown 3 EAST
Judith Ainge-McLeish 1 WEST
Jessica Moody 4 EAST
My name is Jessica Moody and I have been at Dunmore Lang College since 2015 and I am currently studying a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts majoring in English at Macquarie University. I am originally from Perth, Western Australia and moved over to Sydney to study. I enjoy travelling for leisure and volunteering, and have been fortunate enough to gain employment experience across several diverse fields of work such as Mining, Hospitality and Law. I hope to use my degree to connect and work with cultures internationally and also within Australia with Aboriginal people.
I am in my third year of a Bachelor of Laws majoring in Social Justice. I’m originally from Coonamble, 8 hours West of Sydney. However, I grew up in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney so I know my way around. I’m always up for a quick gym session but cannot catch a ball to save my life. When it’s time to relax I make a mean wine and cheese platter. Come on down to my room on ‘The Crypt’ for a chat or if you ever run out of Bondi Sands. My door is always open.
I’m currently in my 3rd year of a Bachelor of Security Studies. I’ve grown up in Sydney my whole life and at the moment I live in Castle Hill. I love Sydney as it has everything you could want in a city and Dunmore Lang College is in a great spot to see it all. Outside of college I love my rugby and I’m a fervent Gordon Rugby man when I’m not on the physio table! As RA my door (328) will always be open for chat and I really hope to help the people of 3 East strike a good balance between study, work and play. Let’s have a great year!
Rachel Timbs 4 EAST
I am studying a Bachelor of Arts Psychology with a Bachelor of Education (Primary). I come from a small town out west called Binnaway. I enjoy watching movies and TV shows as well as a bit of casual gaming. At the end of my degree, I aim to become either a school counsellor, a psychologist, or a researcher in the area of educational and cognitive psychology. As an RA I aim to be someone you can talk to and help you wherever I can.
Emma Jackson 3 EAST
Emma is from Darwin and is in her third year of a Bachelor of Psychology. She also does English Literature subjects on the side and loves a good musical. As RA she hopes to bring a bit of song and dance to the team and the College.
Joseph Valastro 2 WEST
Hello everyone, my name is Joseph Valastro, and I’m studying a Bachelor of Engineering with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Education. I am originally from Darwin and this is my fourth year living at Dunmore Lang College. I enjoy playing different sports and games, hanging out with friends and family and meeting new people. As an RA this year, I hope to provide a fun, safe and comfortable learning environment for all students around the College.
Yongjun Moh NEW WING L4
My name is Moh and I am studying for a degree in Applied Finance and Economics. I am from Singapore and I am really enjoying getting to know Australia and meeting people from all around the country as well as globally. I enjoy the simple pleasures in life. A good book, coffee and just relaxing would be the ideal day for me. During my time in Dunmore Lang College as RA, I hope to be able to make everyone in Dunmore Lang feel like this is their home and to bring people together. I love meeting new people and socialising. Looking forward to an awesome year!
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 13
Inside Out
L I F E AT D U N M O R E L A N G C O L L E G E
14 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 15
C R E AT I N G A S U C C E S S F U L
Research Career
In academia, nobody is going to hold your hand all the way and walk the path with you. Yet sometimes you meet people who can give you specific hints on where the trail of crumbs actually goes, then it is up to you whether you will follow them or not. Associate Professor Chris Baumann (a Dunmore Lang alumnus, who after our meeting, I feel confident in calling Chris) did that for me over a cup of coffee. As an international new to Macquarie University, I am thankful for the experience, the knowledge shared, and to the staff and community at College, for making this connection.
T
hroughout academic life, there will be opportunities to meet all kinds of people, from the party animal who dances like there’s no tomorrow, to the hermit-like bookworms who devote every minute to their studies, and every category between. And then there are moments where you meet people who will shape, mould and even change the outlook of your profession. As you progress through your studies, it is easy to feel it is a loner’s adventure when it comes to building your own professional outlook. Professors might take you under their wing for some projects, but for the most part it is your individual motivation that will ensure your success. At some point towards the end of your studies, you begin to look beyond the essays and assignments and focus on the kind of professional you want to become. These actions usually come with the near-completion of your degree crisis, job-finding angst and also with the realisation that your body can’t deal with hangovers as well as it used to. Those landmarks of academic maturity and ageing (yes, you become old throughout your Uni experience) came a while ago for me, but even though I’ve been around the academic block for a while and in several different places, I took on the opportunity given to me by the College to meet Dr Chris Baumann for a coffee. Although I had a small idea of who he was (the Google scholar stalk was more effective in this case than the more millennial approach of social media stalk), I had no idea on what exactly we would end up discussing and talking about. For the record, Dr Baumann has 3 research areas: Competitiveness, Confucianism, and Customer Loyalty, and he is also a Visiting Professor at Korea’s ‘Harvard’: Seoul National University (SNU). Full disclosure here; I’m one of the old souls at the 159 apartments, which means I’m doing my postgrad studies at Macquarie University and might choose to do inter-library book requests on a Wednesday night instead of hitting up The Ranch. Whereas my research area is interesting to me (who doesn’t find
16 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
security studies and global politics fascinating, right?) and I have some experience on getting funding for scholarships and studying abroad, one of the areas I hadn’t managed to build up a proficiency was how to build an academic profile and future research pathways. And, this is what Chris and I spoke about over coffee, one afternoon at the Library café (which he calls his ‘outside office’): How much this boils down to publishing your research in peer reviewed journals that are highly ranked and will generate impact (as you can imagine, this sounds easier than it actually is – otherwise everyone would be a Google Scholar star). As Dr Baumann explained: “Your research focus has to be about two things. First, it should be about me, me, me (as it has to be a subject that you’re interested enough in to invest years of your life on). And second, it has to be about publish, publish, publish.” He explained how it is important to approach publications as a game, one where the odds are rigged against you, and you have to play for the long run, thinking of 3 to 4 years ahead for the publication of the research you are doing today. There is no clear and absolute strategy for it, as you can go for several types of fame in academia. The fame for the exclusive data you have, the innovative methodology you have to tackle certain questions or the more common one, the fame you get after working an area of studies for a long time. With this, you seek to be in a position where your insight proves valuable enough to be referenced in other publications – the more the better. The most common mistake you can do is to think that just the ‘excellence’ of your research will be enough to convince an editor at a journal. In reality it’s a bit lopsided in the sense that whilst you must be passionate about your research, you’re also seeking to publish for a specific journal. You have to research each publication and then tailor your paper to be the best paper for that specific publication. Again, all much easier said than done.
This is all in preparation for the moment where you actually send the paper to the editor (who you hope to have created some previous link with at conferences and seminars) or an editorial board. It is still the beginning phase since in the case you get accepted for review, there will be 3 or more peers that will try to shoot down your article under the toughest terms. It is hard, it can be ruthless and it’s not really for the faint of heart. But it will also be a way to grow, to improve continuously and to take the opportunity to always keep some humbleness about yourself and your research, no matter how noteworthy or world changing you think it can be. Academic fame hardly translates into celebrity fame, and when it does, it usually means the academic fame wasn’t too deep to begin with. At the same time, there are ‘star professors’ with massive impact in the field who have produced seminal works creating paradigm shifts. Sharing a frank and honest discussion with Chris about one of the most important and lesser discussed aspects about the true nature of academic competitiveness and how to be prepared for it has been one of the best experiences overall in my academic life. I thank the Principal, Dr Alasdair Murrie-West and Dean of Students, Ms. Liza Allen for making this connection for me.
DANIEL FOULKES MRES CANDIDATE, COSTA RICA Daniel is currently a direct entry second-year MRes student from Costa Rica. He holds a Master of Politics from Hannam University, South Korea, where he studied as a Korean Government Scholarship grantee. His current programme is the MRes-PhD at the department of Security Studies & Criminology at Macquarie University, where he has a full scholarship. His undergraduate degree was in Communication Sciences with an emphasis in Journalism from the University of Costa Rica. He also studied as an exchange student for a year at the University of Oslo.
T I E R N E I G H PA R N E L L R E C E I V E S G L O BA L L E A D E R S H I P P R O G R A M M E E X C E L L E N C E AWA R D TIERNEIGH PARNELL WAS A RECIPIENT OF A 2015 UNDERGRADUATE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM EXCELLENCE AWARD IN 2016. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXTRACT OF THE SPEECH GIVEN BY PROFESSOR SHERMAN YOUNG TO THE AUDIENCE AT THE AWARD CEREMONY.
T
ierneigh is studying towards a Bachelor of Arts with a Bachelor of Laws and began the Global Leadership Program in 2014.
As a recipient of the New Colombo Plan scholarship, in 2016 Tierneigh completed a semester-long exchange at the National Law School of India where she was also part of their LGBTIQ Support Network and explored issues of domestic violence and the law, with a focus on a comparative study between India and Australia. The New Colombo Plan scholarship also took Tierneigh to Hong Kong after her study abroad experience to complete a legal internship with the National Australia Bank. Tierneigh has an impressive history of volunteering and extracurricular participation; she has volunteered with the St Vincent de Paul society in the Northern Territory, she was Vice President of Community Mates Macquarie University Chapter – an organisation which works to connect adults with discrete volunteering opportunities that also build social connections and wellbeing;
she spent two months volunteering as a teacher in Zambia at the Malota Community School and two months volunteering at the Saikeri Community School in Kenya. She has volunteered as a teacher’s aid in Ammoonguna Community School near Alice Springs, and at the Sadadeen Homework Centre for indigenous youth, and she was a Mentor and Tutor at the Biala Hostel for Young Indigenous Women. Tierneigh was a delegate on the Global Leadership Symposium trip to Brazil, and to the Northern Territory Youth Summit and Conference; she completed a Red Cross Humanitarian Law course and was a member of the Centralian Head Space Youth Advisory Board speaking on behalf of youth from Central Australia on mental health, drug and alcohol related issues. Currently, Tierneigh is completing a legal internship with the Australian Law Reform Commission, where she is able to actively contribute to an inquiry into elder abuse through legal research.
Incredibly, this is not an exhaustive list of Tierneigh’s achievements. Tierneigh explained in her application that her passion for law stems from her belief that the law has the ability to protect minority groups. Tierneigh believes education goes well beyond your coursework, and she has certainly put that belief into action. She says “the GLP is a world of opportunity which inspired me to excel in areas I never thought possible”. GLP staff were particularly impressed with the way Tierneigh has used her legal education, her skills, and the opportunities she has been afforded, to support and advocate on behalf of others, particularly those most marginalized and disenfranchised. We commend Tierneigh on the diversity of the experiences she has pursued, and the energy and tenacity it has taken for her to manage all these achievements alongside her work and studies. The College congratulates Tierneigh on her outstanding achievement to date and on the receipt of this award.
REVIVING THE ‘GOLDEN RULE’ Let me start by telling a short story.
Some Advice from Tierneigh Parnell
When I was 5, I was caught picking flowers from my elderly neighbour’s front garden. They weren’t hanging over the fence and available for picking like my mother had advised. “How would you like it if you woke up to find that someone had picked all our mangoes?” My mother scolded. I remember thinking “how on earth I will I put the flowers back on the trees so that there would be enough frozen mangoes to last the sweltering wet season. The point my mother was making was that I wouldn’t like it, so why would I do it to someone else? This seemingly innocent experience, taught me a very important life lesson, which I carry with me today as a global leader. The golden rule, is, to treat others how you wish to be treated. It has been written about extensively, referenced in personal and professional conversations and is widely seen as a universal principle to live by. I believe this is the foundation for a positive, nourishing and prosperous world. The behaviours incidental in the golden rule begin in our homes (stealing the neighbour’s flowers), travel out into our community and have a domino effect that floods the world around us. The golden rule is instrumental in being a good global leader, and can help to shape popular leadership around the globe. I can neither quantify nor properly describe the great opportunities and experiences I have had since joining the GLP. I have explored issues of domestic violence and the law in India, experienced Brexit first hand whilst interning with a multinational bank in Hong Kong, taught and mentored numerous underprivileged students from the top end of Australia to the depths of the Maasai, Kenya.
Whether I’m helping a fellow student with an assignment, or practicing appropriate cultural sensitivity and respect while working with Indigenous elders, I have strived to actively practice the Golden Rule in everything I do. While some could say that this rule forces us to impose our views on others and implies a one size fits all approach, I would argue the contrary. The golden rule is not a utopian notion nor does it guarantee we won’t make mistakes along the way. However, through my experiences, I have seen that it does remind us not to deceive ourselves with a double standard, keeping us honest and respectful in our conduct – both are instrumental elements to being a good global leader. The task of our time is to build a global society where people can live together in peace. Our world needs global leaders who practice the golden rule and can set an example for others to follow. As a recipient of the 2016 Undergraduate Global Leadership Award I invite anyone reading this to build your capacity for empathy and to try to understand and feel another person’s perspective. With this, you’ll be able to recognise the selfhood and intrinsic value of all those around you. If there is one thing I have learnt during my time as a Global Leadership Participant and Ambassador, it is that global leadership and the golden rule go together like frozen mango and the wet season. Let’s revive the golden rule.
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 17
Corroboree
WA L K A B O U T PA R K , K U L N U R A
MINGALETTA ABORIGINAL CORPORATION EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE TO ATTEND A CORROBOREE AT WALKABOUT PARK KULNURA. THE PRINCIPAL ACCEPTED THE INVITATION WITH ENTHUSIASM AND BEGAN ARRANGEMENTS TO TRANSPORT STAFF AND STUDENTS.
T
he Central Coast had been experiencing severe rain and wind conditions that continued right up until departure. Arriving at Walkabout Park (one car load took a ‘different’ route suggested by an enthusiastic student and arrived a considerable time later) students and staff were met by the familiar faces of Dunmore Lang College’s visiting Elders. After an introduction to other Community members and the Park’s owner, Tassin, everyone settled under a big tent to stay dry. The Welcome and Cleansing/healing fire was being attended to by Senior Elder Chris protected by umbrellas. Just on dark a vibrating sound came from the dense bushland and local Aboriginal men and boys emerged singing and pounding Mother Earth with the beat of feet. The rain stopped. The men and boys performed the Welcome dance, which was followed by Traditional Owner of Guringai Nation, Tracy Howie, giving a Welcome to Country and a talk about the area and it’s People before colonisation. This was followed by an invitation to walk through the smoke and more dancing until a break in proceedings was called to allow visitors to have something to eat and drink and the opportunity to speak with dancers, Community members and Elders. The dancing recommenced around 8pm and continued for over an hour with the invitation for guests to participate in some of the moves. Each dance was preceded by an explanation of what it represented, where it came from and appropriate acknowledgement to each Nation. For the final dance everyone was requested to stand and observe a minute’s silence to pay respect and acknowledge the Ancestors and Community members who had recently passed over. When this had been done the dancers began to pound Mother Earth with their feet, bringing Her heartbeat alive, visitors were urged to join in. With eyes closed and feet pounding the quiet bushland night came alive with a strong heartbeat rhythm. It was an emotional and very moving way to end a unique Aboriginal experience very few nonAboriginal people have the opportunity to observe and participate in. AUNTY ELAINE CHAPMAN
18 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
Visiting Mingaletta
From left: David Harris (MP for Wyong), Dr Alasdair Murrie-West, Dunmore Lang College Principal, Amy Ramires, Nowra, William Frazer, Casino, Hon. Linda Burney, MP for Barton and Shadow Minister for Human Services, Aunty Elaine Chapman, College Cultural Adviser and Mingaletta Elder, Nick Radford, Tumbarumba, and Jess Moody, 2017 RA, Greenmount WA
FEBRUARY BROUGHT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER STUDENTS IN THE COLLEGE TO TRAVEL TO THE MINGALETTA ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CORPORATION IN UMINA.
N
ot only was this an opportunity to meet with the Elders which is always an enriching experience for all, it was also an opportunity to meet the Hon. Linda Burney MP, Member for Barton and Shadow Minister for Human Services and Hon. David Harris MP, Member for Wyong. With two cars loaded with eager passengers we set off on the trip north and despite both drivers taking wrong turns and/or missing turn offs altogether we arrived safely at our destination to be greeted by the Elders and a sumptuous afternoon tea. This was an important occasion for the students as Linda Burney is the first Aboriginal woman to serve in the House of Representatives and also the first Aboriginal person to serve in the New South Wales Parliament.
The students were excited to meet her and hear of her life journey as well as the important work she is doing in Parliament to address the needs of people living on the Central Coast. David Harris has since visited the College as the guest for the Education Academic Dinner and he has also reached out to support a student who is in the process of establishing a charitable foundation to address literacy in rural and remote schools (more about this exciting initiative in the next edition).
LINDA BURNEY MEMBER FOR BARTON SHADOW MINISTER FOR HUMAN SERVICES
Linda Burney was the first Aboriginal graduate from the then Mitchell College of Advanced Education (now Charles Sturt University). She has been involved in the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group since the mid-1980s and has participated in the development and implementation of the first Aboriginal education policy in Australia. Ms Burney was an executive member of the National Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, President of the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and is a former DirectorGeneral of the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs. DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 19
A SEMESTER IN THE
Y
ou know your quirky friend who says inappropriate things, has an offbeat sense of humour and is brutally honest? Every Dutch person is that friend. Whether it’s a cultural difference or a language factor, or a combination of the two, the Dutch are blunt, charming and the kindest people you will ever meet. And so, I will try to convey my experiences living amongst these magnificent people and in the country that gave the world Gouda cheese, Miffy, the cute little bunny, and Vincent van Gogh.
Netherlands
I arrived in Utrecht in the Netherlands in September last year, clutching the obligatory Lonely Planet Netherlands travel guide and phrase book. I thought I had covered off everything I might need leading up to my semester abroad, but once I was there, I was still completely awe-struck by continental Europe and everything it offers. I travelled to eleven countries before university had started, experiencing the European summer in all its humidity, beauty and history. Come autumn however, I was plunged into the Dutch higher education system – hundreds of pages of readings a week, long, structured contact hours and content delivered at double the pace. Utrecht University kept multiple campuses to distinguish each of its faculties, meaning I was in the thick of the economic research facilities, learning through the buzz from 2016’s more controversial political and economic events – Brexit and President-elect Trump to name a few. Most of my classes were with Dutch students, who were all very enthusiastic and motivated, which put my own study habits to shame. As for my life in Utrecht, I have never spoken about Australia so much in my life. I lived in a student accommodation complex with both Dutch and international students and my household was constantly buzzing with anecdotes of our respective home lives. Popular topics of conversation were: how Australian animals are trying to kill us, how Australian weather is trying to kill us, and how Australian abbreviations of every English word in the dictionary were slowly killing everyone else. I have also never eaten so much cheese, seen so many bikes or been on so many boat cruises. The supermarkets gave me an odd sort of culture shock until I realised the emotional preparation you do before visiting 20 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
Aldi’s registers in Australia applied to every supermarket in Europe. The Dutch biking stereotype was something I proudly assimilated into – I watched the locals effortlessly balance awkwardly shaped cargo on their rear wheels, unload endless numbers of small children from wagon-type structures attached to adult bicycles and hold themselves perfectly upright as they were dinked home by a friend (referred to as ‘doubling’ to us plebeians). My bike and I had a love/ hate relationship. It was stolen, lost in the sea of other bikes multiple times and rescued by a kind locksmith when I snapped the key inside the frozen lock. The Netherlands proved an ideal spot to be as its centralised location allowed me to spontaneously day trip to Belgium, escape University for a weekend in Spain and duck back ‘home’ between trips to the Czech Republic and Denmark. I spent my birthday in snowy Budapest, ate my way through Christmas day in Southern Holland and roamed the festivities of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on New Year’s Eve. I lived a lifestyle so alien to my own in Australia, where weekend trips rarely involve different countries and bus
trips for four hours don’t get you anywhere but four hours from your departure point. Exchange in the Netherlands was a beautiful rollercoaster of emotions, with new friendships formed, memories made and goals completed. This experience left me with an empty bank account but a satiated sense of adventure, passport and stomach (of course). MAGGIE MCGINLEY, 2017 RA EAST BALLINA
New Member
O F O U R C O L L E G E FA M I LY OUR COMMUNITY MANAGER GEROME AND HIS WIFE LUCY WELCOMED A LOVELY BABY GIRL, MURAN HINE-RARAPA TE PEETI, TO THEIR FAMILY ON MONDAY THE 10TH OF APRIL. In Gerome’s words: She came on a lightning storm in the quiet of the morning just before dawn. As she was being born her strong mother had visions of white water rapids and in a matter of 4 hours from start to end came our daughter...
Muran Hine-Rarapa Te Peeti Muran (Yuwallaray word) meaning the darkest and quietest time just before dawn hits... (when she decided to come)
Hine-Rarapa Hine: for the beautiful daughter she is Rarapa: for the flashing of the lightning storm that she came with and the thundering waters that her mother saw as she was bringing her into the world.
Vale Mr Michael Harding – I N S P I R AT I O N A L T E A C H E R C H A N G I N G L I V E S IT WAS WITH GREAT SADNESS, DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE LEARNED OF THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF MR MICHAEL HARDING LAST YEAR.
M
They said the two changed their lives and had a “profound impact”.
ichael was a Macquarie University and Dunmore Lang College Alumnus (19901992) and a fellow student with the Chair of the Dunmore Lang College Board, Mr Scott Atkins, who provided the following article excerpt from the Queanbeyan Age Chronicle originally published in December 2016.
“We’re both going to pursue history in university,” Mr Hollyhead said. “The way they get you to think about everything, they get you to challenge ideas and that’s one of the most important things for us going into university.”
Top students at Karabar High School dedicated their ATAR scores to their late history teacher Michael Harding who passed away two weeks before they received their final marks. Mr Harding was terminally ill with cancer but he refused to let it stop him teaching and inspiring his year 12 class. The highly-regarded teacher was known as a purist and was adored by his students. Karabar’s Angus McLachlan and Finley Hollyhead both attributed their near perfect history marks to Mr Harding and his wife Louise who they said “shaped their lives” and “always went above and beyond what they were expected to do”.
HIGH ACHIEVERS: Students finishing at both Karabar and Queanbeyan high schools talk about their ATAR scores (l-r) Nathan Organ, Angus McLachlan, Connor Mackay, Eliza Lembit, Finley Hollyhead, Kieran Organ, Erin Leslie and Shreya Kantipudi. Photo: Jay Cronan
“They were good life mentors, both of them knew how to connect with students and get the best out of everyone,” Mr Hollyhead said. “They made everyone feel important.”
Karabar High School principal Andrew Turvey said Mr Harding was famous for taking the time to engage with students and talking with them in the break about anything from history to football. “He would explore what was happening in their lives and be really interested,” Mr Turvey said. “Michael was a genuine learner, he was able to teach to the kids but he also learned from the kids and that made a huge connection.”
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 21
N E W C O L L E G E C O N F E R E N C E W E B PA G E UTILISING THE CONFERENCE ROOMS AND STUDENT ROOMS ESPECIALLY FOR LARGE GROUPS DURING THE UNIVERSITY BREAKS, ENABLES THE COLLEGE TO EARN ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT HELPS TO KEEP DOWN OUR ACCOMMODATIONS FEES FOR STUDENTS DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR.
A
s part of improving this side of our operations, we have launched a new website for the Conference Centre: www.dlconference.com.au maintaining the strong connection with our College name and our core business. Many of our conferences are school groups and teachers visiting Macquarie University and we often arrange presentations from our students who act as mentors to students looking to attend the university in the future. During the academic year, the Conference Centre is also busy with bookings for meetings, workshops and conferences from the university, Macquarie University hospital and businesses from the surrounding Macquarie Park area.
22 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
SCHOLARSHIPS 2017 BROOKE AMARO JENNA BARKER ABBEY BERTRAMS JAMES CHARGE ELIZA COOK SARAH CROAKE MADELINE DYER BRAYDEN JONES DINITHI KATUPITIYA EDWINA KEEN JENNA LINDBECK NICHOLAS LLOYD AMILIA MUNDAY WILLIAM NEVILLE PATRICK O’BRIEN MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN JASPER QUIRK NORMAN THIEN HANNAH VOGEL EMAMA WASIM KYLE YOUNG
Griffith Dubbo Orange Banora Point Adamstown Heights Tamworth Shellharbour Scone Forde Dubbo Adamstown Heights Narromine Young Launceston Tamworth Armidale Nelson Bay Lithgow Port Macquarie Wagga Wagga Cooma
Undergraduate Academic Scholarship Dorothy Knox Bursary Principal’s Prize Principal’s Fund Undergraduate Academic Scholarship Dorothy Knox Bursary Dorothy Knox Bursary DLC Postgraduate & Honours Scholarship Rotary Club North Ryde Scholarship Principal’s Prize Picture Partner Prize Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship New Residents Dorothy Knox Bursary Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship New Residents Dorothy Knox Bursary Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship New Residents Principal’s Fund John & Yvonne Almgren Encouragement Scholarship Principal’s Prize Paragon Risk Management ‘Step Forward’ Scholarship Principal’s Prize
Dunmore Lang College/Macquarie University Rural & Regional Scholarships NEW STUDENTS THOMAS EVERSON WILLIAM FRAZER BRONTE GAVEY JAKE HEATH ISAAC MEINCKE MADDISON O’GRADEY-LEE ELIZABETH POWELL NICHOLAS TRAPPETT
Ooma Casino Essington Woy Woy West Wyalong Bateau Bay Calala Wellington
MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017
Tregear Gillieston Heights Harrington Park Seven Hills Lismore Scone Ourimbah Orange Austinmer Adamstown Heights Wandandian Goulburn Baulkham Hills Greenmount Sydney The Narrows Nowra Wyoming Macquarie Park Darwin Ceduna
MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017 MQ-DLC Rural & Regional Scholarship 2017
CONTINUING STUDENTS ANGEL ARMSTRONG SHANTELL BAILEY TETEI BAKIC CHARMAINE BROWN SHANNON COLLIS STUART GUIHOT SHELLEY HARDCASTLE SAMUEL JOHNSTON DJALA KALININ JENNA LINDBECK DANIELLE MALONE ELOISE MATTHEWS TAYLOR-JAI MCALISTER JESSICA MOODY MADELINE MORRISON TIERNEIGH PARNELL AMY RAMIRES SARAH ROBINSON JESSE SLOK JOSEPH VALASTRO AIMEE WOODS
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 23
2017 APRIL
Graduates
AS PRINCIPAL AND DEAN WE WATCH THE TRANSITION OF STUDENTS FROM SHY AND TENTATIVE FIRST YEAR STUDENT ON CHECK-IN DAY TO CONFIDENT SECOND YEAR AND ACCOMPLISHED THIRD YEAR STUDENT. TWICE A YEAR WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE GRADUATION CEREMONIES OF OUR STUDENTS. THIS YEAR WE ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF CONGRATULATING VALESCA ALSTON WHO WAS OUR SPEECH AND HEARING TUTOR AT COLLEGE IN BOTH 2015 AND 2016.
Jordan Pereira, Bachelor of Speech, Hearing and Language Sciences, 2015-2016 and Isobel Walsh, Bachelor of Speech, Hearing and Language Sciences, 2015-2016
Isobel Walsh, Bachelor of Speech, Hearing and Language Sciences and Jordan Pereira, Bachelor of Speech, Hearing and Language Sciences
Katena Valastro 2014-2017, Hugo James, Bachelor of Media 2014-2016, Resident Adviser 2016 and Belinda Ramsay 2014
24 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
Rhiannon Beattie, Bachelor of Speech and hearing Science. Resident Adviser 2016
Valesca Alston, Master of Clinical Audiology with her family
Kayla Atkins, Bachelor of Town Planning, 2014-2016. Resident Adviser 2015-2016
Deekshit Daasharma, Master of Professional Accounting, 2015-2016. Worked with maintenance 2015-2016 Cecil Simon, Master of Professional Accounting with CPA extension, 2014-2016. Resident Adviser in 2016 The Dean of Students with Shivani Sachdev, Master of Research
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 25
REFLECTIONS ON LIFE
in New Jersey
I COMPLETED AN EXCHANGE TO RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, IN NEW JERSEY USA, ABOUT A FORTY MINUTE BUS RIDE FROM NEW YORK CITY’S TIMES SQUARE. I SPENT MY FAIR SHARE OF TIME EXPLORING THE CITY OF LIGHTS AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, BUT MOST VALUABLE WERE THE LESSONS I LEARNT FROM A PLACE SEEMINGLY NOT THAT DIFFERENT FROM AUSTRALIA, BUT WHICH SOMEHOW MANAGED TO WIDEN MY PERSPECTIVE MORE THAN ANY OF THE 32 OTHER COUNTRIES I HAVE VISITED IN MY PAST 21 YEARS.
E
ven now, I still don’t understand the Jersey humour or the Jersey accent and I remain frustrated by the lack of critical thought in all of my classes. I am still taken aback by the excess of everything from portion sizes to the behaviour at frat parties and while looking back, I can’t say I ever felt at home in New Brunswick, I now understand that was never the point. In my second week of classes, I went to a third-year socio-politics class on global structures and change. The professor (a Hungarian-born now US citizen) began the class by handing out a sheet with a series of questions on them. We went around the room sharing our answers. The first question he asked was ‘out of the entire population of the world, what percentage does the USA’s population make up?’ (My answer undershot at about 3%). We began going around the room. The first student, a blonde girl with a sky blue hoodie marked with her sorority’s letters answered 30%, I smirked. The following student was a boy sitting in a t-shirt seemingly not bothered by the snowstorm outside, he answered 40%, I looked up from my sheet. The next student answered 20%, the following 30%, the next agreed. At this point while I was looking around the room at the other students both amused and completely distressed at a lack of reaction; the professor was smiling. The next student to answer wore a hijab and in a typical Jersey accent answered 5%, some students including the blonde girl and the boy in a t-shirt laughed. Their opinions had been enough to validate each other simply by the fact that their error made the majority. I was no longer smiling. The answers went on, ranging between 10% and a whopping 56% from a tall boy in a sports Jersey (this same boy would later come to my rescue in a coffee line where I had forgotten my wallet). The last student to answer before me was a 23-year-old African American ex-war medic, who said “I’m not sure of the percentage, but we are the third largest population behind China and India, and they have a billion more than we do each, so
26 DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
I would guess about 5%”, the professor’s smile was beaming. He asked him where he had learnt that, and the student’s simple answer was “not in school”. This student’s answer was the beginning of what would reshape my understanding of perspective, compassion and the critical importance of truthful information in understanding one’s place in the world. I would think back to this moment when other similar situations would leave me similarly frustrated and taunted with a strange and unjustified feeling of superiority. I would later realise that in that moment, I was doing the exact thing for which I was judging the students in my class. My mother had taken me to more places and through her, by the age of ten, I had the opportunity to meet and engage with more difference than most people see in their lives. I had never had to fight for knowledge or education, I bathed in opportunity and my very DNA made me a poster child for diversity. Because of this, I have always seen myself as someone open to others and free of judgement, yet in a complete turn of events, that situation made me realise I was the one with prejudice. Once I realised that (and sat in my shame for a little while) I found a renewed sense of openness and motivation to understand New Brunswick and its people. I began going out for lunch with one of my classmates, Olivia, and she explained
everything from me from race relations to why the US has so many accents (before I knew it, she was one of my closest friends and I even stayed with her for almost two weeks in San Francisco). She took me along to a Spoken Word event on campus where I was exposed to a whole subculture that bathed in Social Justice activism. I went to sports games and before I knew it, I was deep into the ‘Scarlet Fever’ of Rutgers school spirit. Outside of campus life, I found that I travelled and visited so much more than I had anticipated. During the semester I was in NYC at least three days a week and bounced from art exhibits, to snow covered Central park, to hipster pizzerias, the United Nations headquarters and Latino film festivals. I went to a Bernie Sanders rally in Washington Square Park, Miami Beach for Spring break, New Orleans for the Saint Patty’s day parade and up to Buffalo to see Niagara Falls. After the semester ended I went to the West coast; I walked around Los Angeles, partied in Las Vegas, took a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon, hiked for seven hours up the Yosemite Falls and nine across Big Sur, tasted some wine in the Napa Valley and finally landed in San Francisco where over a couple of weeks I ate my body weight in amazing vegan food. To finish my trip I went to Hawaii and spent a week in a yurt by the sea with no phone reception or wifi, just to get my thoughts into order (much needed after all the personal growth not to mention the partying). What I concluded was that my time on exchange was undeniably worth the visa complications and horrid exchange rates. I had seen more than I had ever hoped and met incredible people who changed my understanding of the world all whilst making me laugh to tears. That is not to say it was easy: I felt discomfort, frustration and alienation and even a year later I still feel all those things writing my experiences down. However, most of all I feel a sense of accomplishment because my exchange did exactly what it is meant to – it challenged me to think. NIDALA BARKER BROOME
New beginnings “Success is stumbling from failure to failure, with no loss of enthusiasm.” WINSTON CHURCHILL
EARLY 2014 I BEGAN PLANNING FOR MY NEXT ADVENTURE BUT IT WASN’T UNTIL MID YEAR THAT MY PLANS TOOK SHAPE. IN JULY 2014, I FOUND MYSELF BUYING A TICKET WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT TO MAKE A FRESH NEW START IN MY LIFE – I WAS HEADING TO SYDNEY AUSTRALIA.
A
lmost three years later, as I sit and write this, I realise that I’ve come a long way since then, and a flood of beautiful memories of achievements, growth and family enter my mind.
I recently graduated with a Masters of Accounting and completed my CPA exams at Macquarie University; a feat that I proudly wear as a ‘feather in my cap’. It wasn’t easy, but I can credit this achievement along with my own personal growth to the support and encouragement of Dunmore Lang College and the multi-cultural family that sprang from within the College’s walls. And what better way to celebrate my graduation than to head to Coffs Harbour with friends for a break and freefall from 15,000 feet above ground! With my academics now officially completed, I have decided to stay in Australia and move into the work force to make a contribution. While getting a job as an international resident can be quite challenging, College came to my aid again in the form of part time employment. Over the past couple of months I have worked as Assistant Dean and casual Accounts Clerk for the College which has given me the basic exposure that I need to get my foot in the door into the wider market. This is just the first step in a larger story yet to come and with the boost that I have received these past years here, I am confident for what lies ahead.
AS I LOOK BACK ON THE PAST TWO YEARS OF MY STAY IN AUSTRALIA, I CANNOT HELP BUT REMINISCE ON THE ADVENTURES SHARED, IDEAS EXCHANGED AND LESSONS LEARNT.
G
raduation – this word brings about mixed feelings for me. While it means I need to bid farewell to yesterday, it also helps me summon the courage to open the treasures of tomorrow. It is indeed true that time passes quickly when you are making memories. Whilst at Dunmore Lang, not only did I make lifelong friends, but I felt welcomed into the Dunmore Lang College family, a home away from home. The countless socials, study nights and movie marathons, only brought me closer to the College and the people within its walls. Study never felt more interesting and being alone was never part of the routine. I am thankful for all the experiences that I have shared with this family. Dunmore Lang gave me endless opportunities and opened numerous doors, to help me achieve my goals. But today, as I pack all the wonderful memories and experiences, I look forward to dreaming bigger. I eagerly await what lies beyond. No matter how rocky the road ahead may be, I will close my eyes, and take a leap of faith, the same way I did, while skydiving in Coffs Harbour, a lasting memory. So I end this journey on a wonderful note. The doors will be opened to those who are bold enough to knock. Thank you Dunmore Lang College for giving me a foundation so strong. I feel fearless of what lies ahead. DEEKSHIT DASSHARMA, 2015-2016 BANGALORE, INDIA
CECIL SIMON 2014-2016 TAMIL NADU, INDIA DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE 27
Successful meetings start here!
Talk to our experienced team about planning your next meeting or conference at the Dunmore Lang Conference Centre. Conveniently located next to Macquarie University with easy From business meetings to fully-catered conferences access to public transport, the University, Macquarie Shopping and events our aim is to exceed your expectations. Centre as well as parkland walks for breaks between sessions. For all event enquiries please: Dunmore Lang Conference Centre offers four fully-serviced Phone: (02) 9856 1011 Conference rooms catering for small groups to up to 100 Email: events@dlc.nsw.edu.au Web: www.dlconference.com.au participants, on-site catering, administrative services, complimentary on-site parking and wi-fi.
DUNMORE LANG COLLEGE
H OW TO A P P LY
AN INDEPENDENT RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE AFFILIATED WITH MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY
It’s easy to apply, just go to our website:
130-134 Herring Road North Ryde, NSW 2113 Australia
and click on the link ‘Apply Now’. Follow the prompts and we will be in touch with you shortly to continue the application process.
T: +61 2 9856 1000 E: admissions@dlc.nsw.edu.au W: www.dunmorelangcollege.nsw.edu.au Editor: Liza Allen, Dean of Students Design: Tanami Design 0407 820 949
www.dunmorelangcollege.nsw.edu.au
If you would like a tour please contact the College on 02 9856 1000