The Pelican Issue 4, Semester Two 2023

SEMESTER TWO, 2023

The Pelican

Special thanks to all our contributers and especially our Community Relations Manager, Bree Mason.

Ex-Ressie Reunion Date:

Friday 15 March 2024

Time:

6pm to 8pm

Venue: Grace Hotel, 77 York Street, Sydney Tickets: $35 per person

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Scan the QR code to purchase your ticket

John XXIII College 51 Daley Road, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia Phone: +61 2 6125 6900 General Enquiries: enquiries@johnxxiii.anu.edu.au Find us on Instagram: @johnxxiiicollege_anu

contents 4

Head of College - Jas Lincoln

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College Board Chainman - John Harris

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President’s Report

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Head of Charity

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Third Year Write Up

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Second Year Write Up

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First Year Write Up

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Events at Johns

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Mathew Azzopardi (Azza)

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College Programs Manager - Lachlan Crieghton

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Sports Report

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Ex-Ressie News

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Head of College Jas Lincoln As the year draws to a close, I am filled with gratitude for the amazing contributions from so many members of the John XXIII community. From the incredible effort in the toughest Inward Bound for many years, through to the festivities of Parents weekend, the outstanding academic results of so many Ressies, and the numerous and varied events, the year has been filled with many success stories.

The leadership team at Johns is large and diverse, it includes portfolios from pastoral care through to party planning and everything in between, and it was galvanized this year by an exceptional Student Executive.

At a recent event one of our senior leaders spoke about the complexity of leadership in a college setting and especially senior leadership amongst peers during a period of risk-taking in peoples’ lives. The conversation flowed to include the challenges that were faced, and the many rewards and successes that were achieved by being a courageous student leader.

It was a timely reminder of the important role of our student leaders and the influence they can have in

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a community like Johns for all the right and wrong reasons. It was agreed that leadership in this unique setting came down to five key elements: Relationships, Communication, Empathy, Organisation and ultimately Accountability. It was clear that our student leaders were relationship focused, that they valued clear and connected communication based on integrity holistically, and that they cared about others. The team were, for the most part, well organised and accountable to each other and in the end themselves. This focus, I believe, augers well for their careers as future industry leaders who are both aspirational and driven.

I feel enormous gratitude for the remarkable courage displayed by students, irrespective of formal leadership roles, in addressing behaviors that diverged from our shared values. Their readiness to hold each other accountable, fostering the inclusive culture we cherish as a closely-knit community, is truly commendable.

This collective courage was strongly bolstered and wholeheartedly backed by President Josie Bates, whose

exceptional skill in unifying and propelling a vision of excellence and support across various initiatives stood out as a defining highlight of 2023.

I too am indebted to the amazing staff whose work goes way beyond the normal accountabilities of an ‘office job’.

We have staff who are supportive of students prior to their arrival to well beyond their departure, who give of themselves fully at every opportunity. Our team amazes me daily, and I have been blessed to share this journey with them in 2023.

Some exciting news… we will have our inaugural ExRessie Cocktail Party in Sydney on the 15th of March 2024.

I have been thrilled by the efforts and actions of our JERA Committee in assisting the College to bring this exciting event to fruition. I hope you take the time to learn about each of them later in this edition and to join us for this exciting new event.

I am happy to report that Johns is in a very good place!

With robust enrolments and a vibrant living community that thrives each day, coupled with the re-engagement of our Ex-Ressies, supported by an exceptional College Board, there’s ample reason for gratitude and celebration.

Equally significant is the understanding that the College continually evolves, sometimes progressing positively and occasionally encountering challenges. It’s crucial that we collaborate to consistently support the wellbeing of everyone connected to our community. This dedication ensures our continuous learning and growth, fostering an environment where all individuals can thrive.

I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and relaxing break shared with family and friends. I look forward to what lies ahead for us and to sharing the journey with each of you.

Jas Lincoln Head of College

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College Board ChairmanJohn Harris Dear Students and Friends of John XXIII, Another year has drawn to a close…and what a great year it has been for John XXIII College.

We finally seem to have fully bounced back from the disruption of the Covid era. Can a College get “long Covid”? The effects on people’s lives seem to have lasted longer than the disease. But not in 2023 – we had an absolutely full capacity College and a fantastic year of student activity.

These things don’t happen by accident. A fantastic year at the College always requires a fantastic student leadership group. This year we had one of the very best student leadership groups and they produced a student

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culture in our community which was magnificent. Both the Board and I wish to express our admiration and thanks for such a good job.

We should also remember that the College has a very hard-working and dedicated staff who also excelled in their role. Our staff are very much part of the College community and try very hard to work seamlessly with the student body. Their support for all aspects of student life has been inspiring.

Our academic record, both as a diverse group and as a series of unique individuals, continues to rise. We have gone past good, so we are somewhere between better and best. While College life is heavily involved in community and activity and new experiences, we are still primarily an institute of learning. I am very pleased to

note that large numbers of students achieved personal bests in academic results and quite a few results were absolutely outstanding. I hope that the learning aspect of your period in college has been deeply satisfying for each and every student.

Let’s skip nimbly over the glum bits…I was sorry to hear we surrendered the Interhalls Sports Shield to others (who shall remain nameless). Better luck next year, and remember that second is not such a dishonourable result.

Lastly, some of you may have heard that the Dominican order is quitting parish life in Canberra after nearly 60 years. It is likely that there will be no permanent Dominican present priest in Canberra after this year.

However, the College is still owned and run by the Dominican order, we still have Dominican priests on our board and they still imbue our staff with the Dominican inspiration.

affairs. They were called the Order of Preachers, because lecturing and preaching was not so very different in those times. They were there to educate students and care for them.

A person formed in the Dominican tradition is well educated, has an open mind, and an analytical approach to problems, a willingness to explore and learn, as well as deep respect for other people… their opinions… and their well-being. Our motto of “Veritas Vi Veritatis” means “truth because it is true”, or alternatively “truth for the truth’s sake”. Our College will continue to hold to these values in the years ahead.

We are excited to welcome you to our integral John XXIII College event, please see the back cover for more information.

John Harris John XXIII College Board Chairman

We are a College firmly guided by the Dominican tradition, and will continue to be that way. So, what is the Dominican tradition then? In the 12th century, when universities were forming in Western Europe for the first time, the Dominican order was tasked with specialising in learning in university colleges, and in university

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President’sReport What an eventful year 2023 has been for the Johns community! I’d like to express my gratitude to all the new and returning students for their enthusiastic involvement in every aspect of J23 life. Speaking on behalf of the thirdyear cohort, we’ve experienced an incredible energy in the community, a testament to our students’ readiness to embrace all opportunities available.

From the RA perspective, we extend our appreciation for everyone’s ongoing dedication on the sports field. While we were defeated by Bruce Hall for the ISO sports shield this year, I firmly believe their victory won’t be enduring, and we’ll come back stronger next year! The RA witnessed a significant rise in participation and enthusiasm for interhall arts events and arts in general at Johns. Special recognition

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goes to the Johns Dance Team for their tremendous efforts and the memorable experiences they’ve created, along with the success of the Johns Play during Parent’s weekend. Congratulations to everyone involved in putting up a great show!

Saba, our environmental representative, spearheaded an admirable recycling initiative throughout the year, and I extend my thanks to everyone who contributed by donating used batteries and more. The social representatives have taken on a monumental task within the RA and the community. Hamish and Sarah have done an exceptional job this year. It’s undoubtedly one of the most challenging roles in student leadership, demanding extensive communication, stakeholder engagement,

and organisation. Our representatives handled this responsibility without complaint and organised numerous fantastic events for our community in 2023.

Lastly, I’d like to express my gratitude to the executive members within the RA, our Treasurer Sophia, and Vice President Stephen. These two individuals have overseen internal communications with Johns staff and managed the organisation to ensure the RA functions smoothly.

My year wouldn’t have been as seamless without their incredible commitment to J23 leadership.

To all departing and returning residents, I hope you had a fantastic year at J23, and I wish you all the best in your future endeavours. Many from our third and second-year

cohorts are moving off-campus, and I hope you enjoy this new phase of life. Congratulations to the returning students in 2024 and particularly to the newly elected leadership! I encourage you to build upon and improve the J23 foundation established by those before you. Colleges thrive on evolution and improvement, so my advice is to embrace change fearlessly and advocate for necessary improvements! Even though I won’t be on campus, I’m always reachable, so feel free to reach out in the future.

Once again, thank you for an incredible year!

Josie Bates President 2023

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Head ofCharity As Semester 2 comes to a close, we are proud to reflect on the impactful initiatives and events that have defined the John XXIII Advocacy Committee’s commitment to creating positive change within our community.

The semester commenced with the Vinnie’s sleepout, which was a testament to the resilience and compassion of our residents. Fourteen of our Johns residents braved the Canberra cold, sleeping under the stars in below zero-degree weather to raise awareness and funds for the homeless. With the support of our wider John’s community, we were able to raise an impressive $5,493 in support of the ANU Vinnies on Campus team. Johns was the leading college in donations, contributing to the $18,475 raised in total across the ANU colleges.

Over the semester, we continued to support Batyr, a charity founded by a former John’s resident, through two major events. Thanks to the generous donations from our community, we were able to raise over $2,000 at our silent auction which took place during Parent’s Weekend.

We were also excited to run our inaugural John XXIII Batyr Fun Run. This event was a success, with over 30 students embarking on a 5km loop around Lake Burley Griffin.

This event not only raised funds but also fostered vital conversations surrounding mental health, and we look forward to seeing how this event grows in the future.

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As we neared the festive season our attention shifted towards the spirit of giving. In collaboration with the Vinnies on Campus team, we promoted the Giving Tree campaign.

The Christmas tree in reception was quickly filled with generous donations of presents and non-perishable food items which will go towards the many Australians who are doing it tough this Christmas. Additionally, we further supported Vinnies through collecting pre-loved clothing from our residents which will be donated to our local Vinnies store.

This was also a busy semester for our Advocacy Committee who were instrumental in driving positive change within our community. Ned Heasley, our Men’s Officer, and Flossie Corsham, our Women’s Officer, orchestrated thoughtprovoking chats and fun events that brought together our whole community. A major success for this semester was the Movember event led by Ned with many of our residents growing a moustache to raise awareness and funds for men’s mental health with over $1000 donated towards this important initiative.

Additionally, Keely Rock, our Rainbow Rep was also an important advocate in our community who contributed to making our college community a more informed and inclusive place. Keely spearheaded the Wear It Purple day initiative, encouraging residents to wear purple in celebration of the diverse LGBTIQA+ community.

We would also like to highlight the important work of Tania Yam, our Multicultural Officer, and Henry Dudesin, our Access and Inclusion Officer. Tania maintained constant contact with our international students, creating an inclusive environment that allowed them to feel at home, while Henry provided crucial assistance to residents with education access plans (EAPs) and special exam arrangements.

As we bring this semester to a close, we would like to express our immense gratitude for the support and generous donations we have received from our John XXIII community. None of our achievements would have been possible without your invaluable contributions. We would also like to thank the Student Services Staff and admin team for their continued assistance and support this year.

We are excited to see the great work that Johns continues to do in the charity space over the coming years and wish Issi Forster and Josh Gale the best of luck in their roles next year.

Claudia Petrie and Tom Perissinotto 2023 Heads of Charity

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Third YearWrite up My name’s Tom Salier and I’m a third-year resident at Johns.

Growing up in Sydney, I was always excited by the idea of travelling interstate for university and going to a residential college, so I decided to give it a shot and apply for ANU. I’d heard great things about the university culture in Canberra which made it really appealing to me, along with visiting the nice campus. Rather than coming straight to university, I took a gap year as I wanted to earn some money and do a bit of travelling, but lockdown meant I just ended up working full time and heading to ANU in 2021. It was towards the end of my gap year that I looked into accommodation at ANU. Luckily, I had a few friends who’d headed straight down to ANU that I could talk to about residential options. I knew I wanted to go with a catered college, and the food options and atmosphere at Johns had been highly recommended.

Funny as it is, I am going to miss living with over 310 people.

Waking up and being able to interact with everyone living in the one space, each day is bound to be distinct from any other. The atmosphere at Johns is such that you get to know everyone you’re living with; people aren’t just a familiar face in the corridors. I have especially enjoyed running the pastoral team this year with Maddi. We are such a tightly knit group of residents who have all put in so much effort to cultivate the incredible community that us Johns. Along with this, a great memory from my time at johns which first come to mind is creating a theatre club with some friends where we performed nightly improv. I will always smile when I think back to those times.

Three words for each year at johns: • So many new friendships!

• Finding that balance (uni social work academic personal) • Lasting memories created Tom Salier

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Second YearWrite Up “You won’t last a month” “Mate. Trust me. It’s THAT BORING – you will hate it” And yet here we are.

I am sure that like me, most current and former Johns resident received a similar volley of not-so-constructive feedback from our friends (and even parents) back home when we informed them of our decision to move out and set up camp here in the capital.

We were told we wouldn’t like it. There is no good reason to leave the comfort of your own home, your old friends and your family to trek it up (or down) to Canberra merely to reside in building that looks like it has been plucked from behind the Iron Curtain in its hey-day.

I think everyone at Johns shared a slice of this initial trepidation. Entering into this place, everybody was unaware of whether they made the right choice electing to come to ‘Johns’, but deciding they were going to give it a go, nonetheless. However, it is amazing how quickly, I and everyone who decided to embark on their Johns journey found their place at this college.

Living away from home at a college is not like high school.

It is not like boarding school either. Everyone has to go to school. Not everyone has to go to college. People want to come and live at Johns. Every person who decides to join our community here at John XXIII has decided voluntarily that they are committed to making new friendships, having new experiences and wanting to come to live with threehundred other young people who have the exact same wish. This fact is the foundations on which the spirited, energetic and passionate Johns community is built. The community that has provided everyone with so much joy, zest and life for the past twenty-four months.

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So, I would like to use this piece, as an opportunity to express some of the shared gratitude of the Johns second year cohort, and shed light on why the Johns experience is not merely fun, but an enriching and meaningful way for all of us to have spent our first few years out of high school.

Of course, there are the obvious ‘highs’ of ‘Johns’ life. The big nights out, the events, the Johns sport, the new friends, the memories and as cliché as it sounds the camaraderie of ‘being part of something bigger than yourself’.

But, and I genuinely believe this – this is not what makes going to Johns ‘worth it’. Indeed, the Gala is fun, and the AFL games are intense, but they are mere ‘blips’ on the calendar. Every resident knows that the ‘Johns’ experience is not just a series of organised events and important sports games with the time in between being reduced to treading water and filling time whilst anticipating ‘the next big thing’.

Time spent at Johns is far more meaningful than that.

The value of Johns lies in the everyday social connections you feel with your fellow residents. Being able to walk down to the ‘dino’ and eat every meal with your mates is truly unique and, despite the fact we all sometimes think we could really do with some space; it is never lost on anyone how rare and special it is to live within a twenty seconds walk of any of your best friends. If there is one thing I think is invaluable about the Johns experience is that in an age where young people are verifiably feeling increasingly detached and lonely, whilst the ubiquity of supposedly connection inducing ‘social’ media is paradoxically rendering more adolescents feeling more isolated than ever, Johns provides you with one of the most robust, supportive, and comprehensive social networks imaginable.

Moreover, I truly think Johns provides you a perspective on your friends and those around you that high-school, or typical friendship circles cannot replicate. When you are with your mates in Melbourne, Sydney or wherever you are from, you see your friends a few times a week. You usually see them when they are in a good mood, doing something they like, with you and all your mates, super excited to see each other.

Johns is not like this. You see your friends on their best days, their bad days and their in between days. You have to learn to become friends with the ‘person’, rather than just the front they may display on a ‘night out on the town’. You get to truly know your mates; rather than just know how they behave when they are ‘at their best’. You learn to become a more compassionate, understanding, resilient and openminded person as you learn to adapt to the variety of situations that living with three hundred 18–22-year-olds throws at you.

These are the not-so-obvious benefits, and the hidden value of life at Johns. People who do not go to college, and even people who may have gone to a college not as connected and intertwined as Johns underestimate these aspects of residential life. I, as I am sure others would agree, would like to look back at our Johns experience, as two of the most enjoyable, dynamic and exciting years of our life – but this is not all us residents will take from our years here at Daley Road.

zestful that a place like Johns provides you with skills, tools, temperaments and abilities that we all hope will serve us well in the future.

Personally, I feel like outsiders peer at residential colleges, especially Johns, and think of it as some sort of ‘fun subscription’ or ‘high-school extension’ that serves as a kind of hedonistic, alcohol-laden, pleasure-seeking bridge for the gap between childhood and adult life. This is a gross misjudgement. Actually. all three-hundred and fifty staff and residents know that Johns does not guarantee you one certain type of experience. Throughout your time at ‘Johns’ you will have moments of ecstasy, exuberance, endurance and anguish – all varied, all unique. But whilst ‘Johns’ does not guarantee an experience, it has provided us all with the most amazing vessel, foundation and lens for experiencing some of the most unpredictable, consequential and memorable years of our lives. I shall speak for all of the second-year cohort, staying and leaving alike, in saying spending 2022 and 2023 at Johns has been the most exhilarating, insightful, stimulating and fantastic university experience we all could have wished for.

We all love Johns.

Harvey Clements

Exceptionally cringey, I know, but I believe as a lot of us take the next step in our ANU journey away from Johns we will recognise that ‘you may leave Johns’ but ‘Johns does not leave you’. It is needless to say we shall all leave Johns with life-long friends – that it obvious. But the sheer volume of experiences that only a place as vibrant and

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First YearWrite up When I think about how fast my first year at Johns has gone by, it seems almost surreal. The level of engagement and conversation between others makes every day a completely different story than the last. I don’t think any of the ressies would say that their first year at the college was the same as what they expected.

Where I first found my footing was with the J23 band. The feeling of being able to play to your friends and entertain them at formal nights like Gala, Parents Weekend and O week makes it all worth it.

In the academic realm, the connections you make with other residents early on translates into a having supportive community around you. It became clear that the bonds forged in those initial days would play a significant role in navigating the challenges of college life. I began to recognize the importance of personal connections, so I try to keep my friendship groups as diverse as I can. The more people you are friendly with the more fun you have.

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However, A significant realisation during my time at J23 was the understanding of personal limitations and the importance of setting boundaries for yourself. By acknowledging that everyone has a “social battery” prompted me to prioritize meaningful connections over the quantity of engagements, and through this, there came the resilience of realising that I can’t be involved in everything, and that the fear of missing out on things was a feeling that everyone has.

If I could talk to myself 11 months ago, I would say to embrace that my days at college are limited, and I should appreciate the sense of community by involving myself in everything I can.

Jonno Roxburg

Events

At Johns

Rumours Production A highlight on the annual calendar is the College Production and this year’s performance was brilliant!

Enormous thanks to all the cast and crew and to Merici College who hosted the venue.

Special mention must go to our Co-Directors Bailey McConaghy and Jasper Macnevin.

A simply stunning performance!

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EventsAt Johns 2023 has been an actioned packed year as the College hosted some amazing events. From the 1st year Matriculation Dinner to Gala, to Ladies We Love Lunch, to Parents Weekend, two Academic Dinners and Valete.

Throughout the year we have been blessed with some amazing guest speakers and entertained by the incredibly talented John XXIII band and residents DJ’s.

The 2024 calendar is taking shape with some long-standing annual events as well as some new inaugural events, including an Art Exhibition, Sportos Lunch for the Men/Fathers we Admire, an Alumni Reunion and a Careers Expo.

Academic Dinner On 23 August, the College hosted an academic dinner to celebrate our students’ academic achievements for Semester 1.

Our guest speaker, alumnus and John XXIII Board Member, Michael Lee gave a speech that was both humbling and inspiring.

Our second guest speaker, alumnus and Johns Ex Ressie Committee Member, Casey White presented Academic Head, Anna Miller with the Infinity Medal, donated by Casey White on behalf of his family.

A special mention to first-year student, Stephen Clarke who was awarded the 2023 Academic Excellent Award (Fr Thomas Hegarty OP award).

We extend a heart-felt congratulations to all our students who haveachieved commendable academic success in 2023, and we hope that their studies, tutorials, and assignments served them well during the exam period.

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Spartos The annual Spartos dinner was held on 21 November, with awards going to Liv Gall (Sports Woman of the Year) and Zac Chadwick (Sports Man of the Year).

Ollie Freeman was awarded the Giles Pickford Cultural Person of the Year award.

Parents Weekend The highlight of the year, following our favourite Ladies We Love Lunch, is our annual Parents Weekend.

What makes Parents Weekend so special is that all the weekend activities and events are so well attended and supported. To see our students spending quality time with their parents, showcasing their talents, and having fun together, is a highpoint.

The weekend kicked off with the annual Wes Bonny soccer match between current students and ex ressies (a close and tight game).We were then entertained by the incredible interpretation of Neil Simon’s RUMORS play production, produced by students Bailey McConaghy and Jasper MacNevin, showcasing the theatrical talents of our Johns students. The cast had us captivated, enthralled, and laughing at the same time.

The weekend ended with a cocktail event at the National Arboretum, a stunning venue with sweeping views of Canberra.

Over 600 parents and students attended the cocktail function and art exhibition.

2023 RA President Josie Bates was our keynote speaker,and her message resonated.

The John XXIII band and resident DJ’s had our students and parents dancing the night away.

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Events

Valete Our final formal event on the calendar, Valete was held at the College on 20 November.

We were honoured that alumnus Damon Reynolds and alumna Zoe Reeve were able to join us for the evening.

Damon was recognised and awarded the title, Ex Ressie Contributor to the College for his outstanding commitment in ensuring our students readiness for IB 2022 and 2023.

Zoey Reeve is one of our Johns Ex Ressie Committee Members, and having her support at Valete was significant as we farewelled our departing third year and fourth year students.

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At Johns Outgoing 2023 RA President Josie Bates gave her farewell speech and shared some of the highs and lows of the year, while incoming 2024 RA President Charlotte Versace, on behalf of the students, thanked Josie for her contribution and leadership.

Both Josie and Charlotte were recognised for their commitment to the College. Josie was awarded Collegian of the Year – The Spirit of Johns Award. Charlotte was awarded the Jon Stanhope College Supporter of the Year award.

MathewAzza Azzopardi What do you like most about working at Johns?

I have had a fantastic time over the past couple of years at Johns. I love being able to help people and there’s a nice atmosphere. I think we have a really good community and I have enjoyed getting to know many of the students. Our staff team are great fun to work with apart from Ollie, who can be very annoying with his sense of humor, which scarily reminds me a bit of Franks!

What does a typical day look like in this role?

What I love about my job is that there is so much variety. One minute I can be fixing a door and the next I am in a meeting looking at the master plan, followed by a chat with a student who has an issue with an electrical item in their room. There is so much going on with the new buildings, renovations, ongoing maintenance and then all the little things to be done to help the students and other staff.

What are the up and coming projects at the College?

There is a lot to be done over the next twelve months: The kitchenettes, new small common rooms, the bathroom upgrade, double glazing of the windows, the new admin block to be completed, and then there is the ongoing maintenance programs and never ending small jobs to be completed.

What is a fun fact about you and one about our team?

I love to spend every September in the outback on a farm in far north Queensland, where I work, hunt and fish every year.

I also have a 15 year old daughter Tahlia, who keeps me on my toes. A fun fact about our team is that Frank is not my Dad, even though everyone seems to think he is!

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College Programs Manager Lachlan Creighton Who is Lachie Creighton and where have you come from before you started at Johns?

Hailing from a small country town situated in the New England region of Northern NSW, I can safely say, Canberra is now home. Born and raised in Walcha, I grew up enjoying the country lifestyle and never saw the city in my plans. Our family home is situated on a hobby farm, where Horse Riding and Rugby were the activities of choice for much of my childhood & adult life. I was privileged to attend The Armidale School (TAS) from 2007 – 2012 where none other than Jas was once my Rugby Coach & Boarding Master. Canberra became one of 3 possible destinations post school, which centred around Study & Rugby, not before taking a gap year shared between Australia, Europe, and the UK. I moved to Canberra in 2014 to commence study at the University of Canberra where I graduated with a Bachelor of Health Science & Human Movement, and I’m now in the process of confirming additional study with a Master of Leadership on the horizon.

Rugby is a passion and integral part of who I am today. I’ve been fortunate to spend the past 7 years working for the

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ACT Brumbies as the Development Manager, enhancing the footprint of the game, individual experience and driving the participation and development strategy.

During this tenure, I’ve dedicated myself to Coaching, previously with the Brumbies Super W, currently as Uni Norths Owls Head Coach of 1st Grade & Club with several of our Johns residents, and most recently as an Assistant Coach of the Brumbies U19s who won the Super Rugby U19s Championship with one of our own Harvey Cordukes!

What has surprised you about the job in the first 30 days?

Each day presents a new adventure, providing a consistent element of surprise! Most notably, seeing how our residents handle themselves in an ever-changing environment and collectively drive the community. Being witness to how individuals care for the college, their peers and the level they’re willing to work at is inspiring for the next generation of Johns and reinforces just how high our collective ceiling is.

What are some highlights of the job so far?

Being provided an opportunity from Jas to join the College has been a highlight in itself. From touring the facilities, meeting Dee & Ollie, and from Day 1 onwards, the Staff have been nothing short of welcoming and amazing in their interactions with myself, but more importantly with each other. It’s a unified Staff cohort who value the environment created and are moving in the same direction to achieve success.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed our process for 2024 Leadership as it’s provided me an insight into individuals who’re aspirational in leading the college’s various portfolios, but also ambitious in what we can achieve together.

It’s been rewarding to see growth in our residents over a 9-week period and I’m excited for what’s in store for future us.

Tell me about the best day you’ve had so far?

Day two was the 2023 UCA (University Colleges Australia) Conference and being the new kid on the block I anticipated a steep learning curve. This experience not only reinforced the decision to join Johns, but amplified the caring, yet impressive nature of those in attendance

who seek to provide a diverse, high quality college experience across Australia. Seeing firsthand how Jas, Dee, and Ollie operate in this environment not only made me proud to me a part of Johns, but was empowering as we look to build a special community through teamwork and collaboration.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

I’m fortunate to have a very supportive and understanding partner (Soph), who shares me with Rugby! We’re enjoying the journey of owning our first home and creating an environment we love. Family is a nine-hour drive or two flights away, so making the effort to travel home when the opportunity arises is everything, although we’re very fortunate to have such a connected friendship circle in Canberra that supports our lifestyle, profession, and hobbies.

Lachlan Creighton College Programs Manager

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SportsReport Semester Two was again hugely successful for the college in the way of sport. As well as making four finals across the semester, Johns also finished second overall on the ISO ladder for 2023.

We kicked off the semester with some intense rounds of social netball, allowing residents from across the college to get involved in some sport. We saw stand-out performances from Jared Odonnell with accurate shooting and George Cox-Wilson with fast footwork. It was a great opportunity for our residents to get back into sport after the semester break in a fun and social way, with many people trying out netball for the first time.

Following social netball, the girls delivered with a dominant performance in female-identifying netball. We were able to arrive in the finals without a loss, being undefeated throughout all the round games with convincing wins over all opponents. Unfortunately, after a highly competitive and hard-fought game against Fenner in the finals, we went down by just a point in the last minutes. Despite the loss, it was great to see the huge turnout of college supporters and witness a notably great performance from Chloe Daveson.

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The AFL boys also delivered a successful season, finishing second overall. This team was stacked with many skilled players, led by captain Justin Butler. Max Cooper also impressed the crowds with between the centre posts banana kicks. The final was a hard-fought game by the boys with the team only losing in extra time.

Johns saw great success in female-identifying soccer this year with the girls defeating Fenner in the grand final.

This was an amazing effort considering many of the team hadn’t played the sport before, giving it a go for the first time. Celia Pons coached and captained the team, proving dominant in all games. First year, Callie Forest also was a valued member scoring multiple goals in the grand final.

The male-identifying soccer team also had a great season finishing third in the competition. The boys exceeded expectations finishing top of their pool over favourites Bruce. This was a team filled with amazing players however standout performances were delivered by Zac Chadwick in defence and Tommee Huizenga through the midfield. With a first year dominated team, we can’t wait to see how the boys will do in next year’s competition.

Table tennis and cricket, while not our most widely played sports, saw people from across the college get involved in new sports. This year cricket was changed to a roundrobin and sudden death elimination format. While we did not get the initial win, Harvey Clements provided back to back sixes and Liv Gall was a standout in both batting and fielding. Similarly, in table tennis great performances were delivered by doubles partners Joel Larkey and Felix Squire who had amazing chemistry on the court.

Both the male and female-identifying volleyball teams had an enjoyable term. Although the season was short, and we couldn’t hold training due to renovations of ANU Sport, residents had lots of fun trying out a sport which they don’t commonly play. Despite not being our most successful sport this semester we are keen to see Johns become a major player in the 2024 ISO season.

endure hours and kilometres of training leading up to the event. On race day each division ran through the bush around Canberra for between 40 to over 100 kilometres.

Johns was hugely successful with five out of our seven teams making it across the finish line, a huge effort.

To round out the year Johns participated in competitive rounds of tennis. This competition went over several weeks and saw the participation of many ressies through singles, doubles and mixed games. The female-identifying comp was dominated by doubles partners Liv Gall and Lucy Howard. Nick Weston was also a stand out across all categories, consistently playing to a high level.

All these results make us super excited for another year of sport at Johns. With amazing performances across the board, we can’t wait to see what the residents will do in 2024!

Inward Bound was arguably the hardest and most demanding sport this year. This was an amazing event coordinated by ressies Charlotte Hodge and Pippa Woods.

The girls organised all runners and ensured a huge turnout of support on race day. IB saw our residents participating

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Sports at John XXIII

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Ex-RessieNews Johns ExRessie Committee Following a robust period in the Colleges’ history over the last couple years on the back of some tough times for Johns relative to the previous decade, it was felt that now is the perfect time to progress the concept of an Ex Ressie-Committee to assist the staff and student leadership team of the College to create the ultimate connected community both within and beyond the college and the university more broadly.

To that end, in August, we launched the concept of a Johns Ex Ressie Association (JERA) Committee. The Committee is chaired by alumnae, Hannah Atwell who is supported by a number of ex ressies across the decades.

The purpose of the Committee is: • To help the College invite ex ressies to planned events, generate interest and support as we build to the 60th anniversary of the College, and • To support student pathway possibilities for life at Johns and beyond.

The goal of the Committee is: • To build on the nostalgia element and the opportunity to connect with old and new friends • To provide professional development and networking opportunity by sharing career journeys and pathways, and • To be an advocate for living on campus and talking about life beyond the college experience To date, we have had two successful committee meeting. The energy of the committee and willingness to support us in these endeavours has been awe inspiring and we remain convinced that we are on the right track.

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CommitteeMembers Hannah Atwell

Kelepi Baba

Terry Barnes

Lauran Clifton

Lyle Dunne

Ben Hunter

Gaby Hunter

Jono Peatfield

Zoe Reeve

Sam Shepherd

Casey White

Sebastian Robertson

Cheryl Jolly

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Ex-RessieNews Yutaka Uno Yutaka Uno and his family visited the College in August, and he proudly showed his wife and two adult children around residential block. He shared the following… ‘’Time flies and already one month has passed since we visited Johns. I still enjoy recalling wonderful memories I had during our visit to Australia. I truly had a great time when I visited Johns. It was very meaningful to me that I showed to my daughter and son the days I spent at Johns when I was their age. Without your help and kind assistance, it would not have been like that.

On the way back to Tokyo, the Australian gentleman sitting next to me on the plane happened to be an alumnus from Johns. We were very surprised by such a coincidence, and really enjoyed each other’s company on the plane. He said

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that he was on the way to Tokyo to attend his friend’s wedding. What a small world.

A view days later after returning from Australia, I had a small home party at my place in Tokyo with two of my close friends from Johns. One of them, Anthony Hague lives in my neighbourhood, and this time our close friend from the third corridor of Johns visited us after a 31-year interval. We also contacted two other close friends from Johns via Facetime on that day, and we had a great time.’’

Yutaka lived at Johns as an exchange student from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, Japan. He is currently employed by the Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan.

His daughter is a student living in Sydney.

Andrew Pfeiffer Andrew Pfeiffer visited the College in November and took a tour of the residential block. Andrew was a resident of A-block and lived on level 3. He shared the following… ‘’Many thanks for showing me around the college, many memories came flooding back!

The day of the first landing on the moon was one of the most memorable days of my life.

(Not to be compared, however, to the horror of Saturday, 22nd November 1963 when we, in Australia, heard of JFK’s assassination on waking).

But 1969 was truly a great year.’’

Andrew told us stories about the ‘’Rugger-Bugger Boys” and some of the antics they got up to (best not published). The memories of the moon landing were viewed on a flickering black and white TV in the junior commons room.

Andrew is now retired and travels extensively.

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EX-RessieNews Owen Horton Care of JERA Committee member, and alumnus Casey White, we were able to connect with Owen Horton. Owen spent two years at Johns, 2009 & 2010, and put them down as some of his best years at the ANU. We had asked Owen to share with us what he has been up to.

can be conducted during winter, so we are mostly keeping the station together for the next ANARE team, especially as winter usually produces the more hostile weather conditions which requires constant station repairs and remediation.

‘’Getting to Antarctica is a relatively straightforward job application process, with the recruiters emphasising expeditioner-suitable personalities and attitude over particular deep field experience or technical skillsets. It takes about 6 months to get through the entire selection process, which includes multiple psych interviews, technical interviews and a 24-hour assessment centre.

Anyone can apply for positions with the expedition, which is organised and recruited through the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). Typically, expeditions will recruit positions across a range of trades, including electricians, plumbers, carpenters, meteorologists, doctors, chefs, communications technicians and, in my case, logistics.

I have joined the expedition as the station’s Supply Officer (aka logistics and stores) and have signed up to do summer + winter (12 months). My normal day job is as a serving Logistics Officer with the Royal Australian Air Force, but I have taken an extended period of leave-without-pay to join the expedition. The RAAF directly supports the Australian Antarctic Program through “Operation Southern Discovery”, supplying C-17A aircraft to transport heavyduty equipment and Expeditioners down to the blue ice runway at Wilkins, so the RAAF’s role in Antarctica played a big part in getting my release supported by my unit.

We typically have 120 expeditions at Casey Station over the peak summer period (Nov-Mar) and this number drops down to around 30 for those who stay on and do the winter (Mar - Oct). There isn’t much field research which

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The first 6-months here will be pretty high-tempo with support to the deep field research teams, and the day-today sustainment of 120+ Expeditioners. Come April though, the summer trades team, researchers and scientists go home and us winterer’s will become a very quiet and intimate team. Temperatures will drop to around -30 and

we will have up to 20 hours of darkness per day. This will continue until October / November next year, when the new team arrives to take over. It’s also worth highlighting that during Winter Antarctica doubles in size as the sea ice around the continent freezes, making any evacuation almost impossible. We have a doctor on station and a basic but well stocked surgery, so most minor issues can be dealt with here. One of my secondary duties at station is the lay surgical assistant, so in the event a medical surgery is required I will scrub in and assist the doctor. Before coming down I spent two weeks training for this role at the Royal Hobart Hospital, scrubbing into real surgeries and assisting the surgeons and nurses (the real definition of learning on-the-job).

Most expeditioners will have secondary duties - this may include fire team, search & rescue team, hydroponics, field trip leaders etc. All wintering expeditioners are trained in firefighting and spend a week with the Tasmanian Fire Service learning the fundamentals of fighting building fires, using fire hoses, and using turnout gear / breathing apparatus. We have a station fire engine, basically a giant water tank mounted on a Haglund snowmobile and conduct regular fire drills and training. The risk of a

fire in Antarctica is actually quite high due to the large amounts of chemicals, fuels and dangerous goods that are used regularly, and losing any part of the stations critical infrastructure to a fire would be devastating.

My next 6 weeks will be focused on completing a handover with the outgoing expeditioner and getting everything ready for re-supply. I’ll also go out into the field this week to complete survival training, something which is mandatory for every Expeditioner to complete and requires spending a night in a snow shelter and bivy-bag.

As for fond memories of Johns - it was a fantastic college...I am very proud to be an alumnus and have so many fond memories that it’s difficult to choose. Most memorably though, when the wig-off was still a thing I actually abseiled off the roof of the college to break into someone’s room on the 2nd floor to de-wig them at about 2am. Probably frowned upon now (though probably would have been then, had we been caught!).‘’

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Ex-Ressie

Reunion

Time flies, but the memories and friendships made are timeless.

We extend a warm invitation to our upcoming Ex-Ressie Reunion. Join us for a cocktail evening and an opportunity to reminisce, reconnect and share stories with old and new friends.

Date:

Friday 15 March 2024

Time:

6pm to 8pm

Venue: Grace Hotel, 77 York Street, Sydney Tickets: $35 per person

Throwback to 2017

Scan the QR code to purchase your ticket