Obiter dicta by Professor Gavin Brown AO
Successful students
9 May 2003
On several occasions last week I took part in ceremonies which celebrated academic achievement by our students.
The first of these was at Wesley College where the annual awards of scholarships and prizes were made. The College has produced two Rhodes Scholars in the last three years and there was an impressive range of high performance across the full range of disciplines.
Being able to visit all our colleges from time to time, I am, of course, struck by their characteristic and individual styles, evolving over time but drawing upon a strong tradition. I am struck also by a common theme of a mutually supportive but aspirational environment.
It is often argued that college life is an unfair privilege for those who can afford it. In fact many families make a significant sacrifice to make it possible and I believe it is good that the opportunity is available. In addition the colleges make available significant scholarship support and old collegians are amongst the most generous benefactors to the University.
The University, itself, commits to providing tangible support by way of scholarships and the second occasion which I attended was the awards ceremony for our 2003 entrance scholarships. Until recently we were investing $1 million in this form of support. This year the total exceeds $2 million and we are on track for an ongoing provision of $3 million per annum in undergraduate scholarships. This figure does not include the impressively comprehensive suite of sports scholarships provided by Sydney University Sport.
Traditionally our entrance scholarships take account of overall talent - leadership, cultural contribution, community engagement and high academic performance. In addition we target those who have suffered disadvantage of various kinds. It is remarkable that, for example in the category of severe physical disability, competitive UAI scores must be in the high nineties.
This year, for the first time, we introduced some scholarships based purely on UAI achievement. I confess to having had some misgivings because of a desire to encourage the articulate all-rounder.
As a result of meeting with the students who have won these awards, my fears have been laid to rest. These are impressive, thoughtful and interesting young people whom it is a pleasure to welcome to the University.
The third event was a Health Sciences graduation at which a new group of young professionals was given a stirring message by senior staff specialist at Royal Prince Alfred and Balmain hospitals in gerontology, Dr Nalin Singh. He emphasised the enormous community benefit they would deliver, noting in particular that Exercise Science is now fundamental in geriatric care as well as in sport. The most moving part of the ceremony was when Ben and Daniel Briggs, proud school students, accepted a posthumous Diploma in Aboriginal Health and Community Development on behalf of their late father, Patrick Briggs.
All three occasions expressed joy at academic success but I was able to note that each week I can also boast of some outstanding sporting achievement by our students. Last weekend our rugby players faltered in a game against Southern Districts but our Water Polo Club won the National Championships in unrestricted competition. This weekend the rugby firsts bounced back with a compelling 36-12 away victory over Eastwood, our main rivals over the last few seasons.
Excellence and commitment are everywhere to be found.