BLUE & W H I T E PAG E 1 4
Reflections on the Taylor Scholar Program Five years ago, St Andrew’s College began challenging the idea that ‘college is a three-year experience’. This idea, like many ‘traditions’, is relatively young; there was a time when most Senior Students did not take office until their fourth or fifth years in residence (which remains the case in many Australian colleges today). So where did the idea come from, and isn’t three years enough? The idea presumably emerged from the feeling that three years is enough; there are only so many nights one can spend in the Highlander Bar, and even fewer nights one can participate in a Victory Dinner (especially if an honours year is looming). Perhaps another contributing factor was that the privilege of residing at College is expensive; it costs far more to provide and therefore access collegiate education than university accommodation. Challenging the ‘three years and out’ paradigm therefore entailed two things: expanding the scope of new opportunities available to fourth- and fifth-year students, and ensuring that continued College membership is financially achievable. It is these purposes that have been fulfilled so aptly by the Taylor Scholars Program over the last five years. The Program, which was personally funded by Chair of Council Charlie Taylor, provides scholarships that make it financially viable for students to stay at College while also supporting them to pursue projects that enrich the community. From fitness classes to academic engagement initiatives, the projects (not to mention presence) of Taylor Scholars have enriched the lives of hundreds of College residents. This year’s Taylor Scholars have made particularly important contributions to (online) collegiate life. Each scholar was required to adapt their projects – devised at the end of 2019 with the physical world in mind – to the online environment. Their quick thinking and resourcefulness has borne much fruit: an investment club, an expedition society, a new jazz band mentoring project, a new choir ensemble, instrumentlearning workshops, an elite athlete mentoring program, an Indigenous student mentoring program, fitness classes and a lead student representative for the Pre-Tertiary Mentoring & Tutoring Program. All 2020 Taylor Scholar projects are now running online and benefiting hundreds of members of the Andrew’s community.
Given that the Program is responsible for tens of communityenriching projects and financially supported many students to remain at College, it is easy to classify it as a success. But there are even more far-reaching consequences worth noting: a new way of thinking about ‘life after third year’. Before the Program was introduced, you could count the College’s fourth- and fifth-year students on one hand (and some years you would not have needed any fingers to record a precise figure). But almost five years on, there is a substantial community of extraordinarily engaged and well-respected senior students contributing to collegiate life on a daily basis, in part because they know how much the College (from Freshers to the Chair of Council) values their presence. In 2020, 25 individuals (17 residential and 8 non-residential) decided to remain as College students beyond their third year, including Rawson stars (one of whom scored a particularly impressive century in the cricket earlier this year), virtuoso musicians (who continue to enrich the College ensembles) and some of the College’s finest tutors. There are even two former Taylor Scholars on staff at present. This paradigm shift and corresponding growth in senior students does not mean that most students will one day reside in College for the entire duration of their degrees (as was once customary); for many students, three years will remain enough. But thankfully, steps taken by the College – Chair of Council Charlie Taylor especially – mean that the option is now on the table; and for many, that option is very attractive. Will Cesta Director (Education & Student Life)
