Community: Edition 2 2009
Exciting time for University
This is an exciting time to be part of the university sector and to be an institution like our own. As the dust settles on the most recent federal budget, it is clear that additional funding will flow to universities, although it will be a couple of years before the major changes occur.
The new Commonwealth commitments to higher education and their ambitious targets for expanding enrolments provide us with the degree of certainty required to plan the next phase of development for USC.
Funding within the sector is fiercely competitive and it is gratifying to observe that USC is making strong progress in the areas that really count. This sense of achievement is very evident in this edition of Community.
For example, researchers led by the Genecology Research Group and the Sustainability Research Centre managed research income of $2.5 million in 2008 and their overall grants were in excess of $6 million. The work they are doing is of international significance.
On the teaching front, student demand increased significantly for the 2009 academic year. This has allowed us to reforecast the budget and direct additional funding into the teaching programs. The demand for mid-year places at USC has almost doubled from last year.
This will help ensure our future and position us well to accept the government’s challenge to have 40 percent of 25 to 34 year olds holding a degree by 2025.
Professor Greg Hill
Acting Vice-Chancellor
World-class bus interchange on campus
Public transport access to the University of the Sunshine Coast was boosted in June with the opening of a world-class bus interchange on campus. Queensland Transport Minister Rachel Nolan visited USC on 25 June to inspect the interchange, which opened three days later after five months of construction work.
The bus station has three platforms, making it the second-biggest facility of its kind on the Sunshine Coast behind the interchange at Sunshine Plaza. Ms Nolan said Translink’s $5.5 million project at USC also included construction of a green link between USC and Scholars Drive to provide access that will be restricted to buses, cyclists and pedestrians. She said this link was expected to save passengers up to 10 minutes on every trip.
USC staff win awards
The University of the Sunshine Coast has attained an unprecedented six Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) citations, three times as many as any previous year. Academics from each of USC’s three faculties — Dr Ann Parkinson from Science, Health and Education, Anna Potter of Arts and Social Sciences, and Dr Monte Wynder from Business — will receive citations for their academic excellence at a gala ceremony in Brisbane on August 18.
With them will be several USC administrative, professional and technical staff: Kylie Russell and Tegan McFarland who coordinate USC’s Headstart program for Year 11 and 12 students; Margot Reeh who runs the University’s student-to-student mentoring program; and Global Opportunities student exchange program coordinator Liani Eckard. Each award is worth $10,000.
Sustainability research
The University of the Sunshine Coast has established a Sustainability Research Centre, which will soon boast the expertise of 40 researchers. The centre, located at USC’s Innovation Centre, has evolved from the Regional Sustainability Research Group that began at the University in mid-2007. Centre Director, Professor Tim Smith, said the centre’s work would have implications regionally, nationally and globally. “Key aspects of the centre’s research will include coastal management, climate change, water management, natural and cultural heritage, innovation, adaptive growth and community well-being,” he said.
World environment day
The call for Sunshine Coast residents to unite in combating climate change was well and truly heard in June when an estimated 6,500 people gathered at USC for the 2009 World Environment Day Festival. The free community event on 28 June was co-hosted by the Sunshine Coast Environment Council, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, SEQ Catchments and USC. The festival’s theme, Your Planet Needs You—Unite to Combat Climate Change, highlighted how individuals can help reduce carbon emissions.
University offers the best of both worlds
The University of the Sunshine Coast is celebrating an important stage of its growth and its future plans with a new advertising campaign that was launched in late July.
With the tagline, “The best of both worlds”, the television, cinema, print and outdoor advertising campaign highlights how USC students can enjoy the Sunshine Coast lifestyle while gaining qualifications that can take them anywhere in the world.
Particular attention is paid to USC’s commitment to sustainability, entrepreneurship, research and global study opportunities. Sunshine Coast media personalities Rosanna Natoli and Livio Regano — who both teach at USC — feature in the commercial along with a number of other University staff and students.
USC Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Thomas said the University was at an exciting stage of growth and maturity, with enrolments nearing 7,000.
“The University of the Sunshine Coast offers quality degrees that can lead to local, national and international career outcomes,” he said. “Students can enjoy the relaxed, friendly Coast lifestyle on an attractive campus and be taught by personal and approachable academics.”
The University has just welcomed its largest mid-year intake, with more than 1,500 new students enrolling for Semester 2.
Open Day to feature brightest talent
Visitors to this year’s USC Open Day on Sunday 16 August will have the chance to meet some of the University’s brightest people and experience their work.
The event, from 10am to 3pm, is an ideal opportunity to find out about the range of programs and courses offered in the faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Business, and Science, Health and Education.
Open Day will feature seminars about job prospects in particular fields, as well as presentations on how to apply to study, financial support available to students and the University’s support services.
Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) representatives will be on hand to explain the QTAC application process.
There also will be guided tours of campus facilities and nearby accommodation complexes, and the chance to chat with USC staff and students about undergraduate and postgraduate study programs and research activities.
This year’s Open Day will have the added attraction of some interesting hands-on activities in science, computer-based design and software design, along with displays of student projects in business, industry and regional and urban planning.
The University’s Library, Art Gallery and the Coop Bookshop will be open for the day.
USC’s Open Day is an event not to be missed by anyone considering tertiary study.
Journalism expert scoops teaching medal
The senior academic behind some of the outstanding journalism graduates now reporting from media outlets across the Sunshine Coast and beyond has received USC’s top teaching award.
Head of School of Communication Associate Professor Stephen Lamble gained the 2009 Vice-Chancellor’s Medal for Outstanding University Teacher at the USC Graduation ceremony in April.
Dr Lamble said he believed that fostering strong industry links and educating students to work in a rapidly changing media environment were vital for USC students’ employment prospects.
Last year Dr Lamble was a joint recipient of a national $10,000 Australian Learning and Teaching Council award for creating innovative courses and research-based teaching resources to enhance graduate job opportunities in journalism.
Also last year, three of his USC students took the top three positions in a category of the Queensland Media Awards.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Medal for Outstanding University Researcher for 2009 went to Professor in Aquaculture Biotechnology Abigail Elizur.
Professor Elizur has worked on some major aquaculture projects in the past year, and was instrumental in the world-first spawning of captive southern bluefin tuna in South Australia earlier this year. More details about Professor Elizur’s tuna spawning research are featured on Page 6.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Medal for Outstanding Service (Teaching and Research Staff) for 2009 went to the members of the Learning and Teaching Management Committee. This award was received by committee chair Associate Professor Joanne Scott. The Vice-Chancellor’s Medals for Outstanding Service (Administrative, Professional and Technical Staff) for 2009 went to strategic information analyst Joanne Davey and catering supervisor Jennie McNeich.
Principal and art collector become Senior Fellows
The founding principal of Chancellor State College John Lockhart and renowned Mt Mellum art collector Ken Hinds have become Honorary Senior Fellows of the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Mr Lockhart, 53, headed the establishment of the Preschool to Year 12 (P-12) college at Sippy Downs in 2003, incorporating the original state school. He is now acting principal at Kawana Waters State College at Bokarina.
Mr Hinds, 64, is a retired engineer who spent decades working on multi-million-dollar construction projects while nurturing a passion for collecting artworks and helping the community. This ranged from assisting the Caloundra Chorale and Theatre Company and Caloundra Junior Boxing, to becoming a court-appointed arbitrator in civil disputes.
Kye earns University’s top award
From radio-controlled gliders to radio-tracking birds, outstanding University of the Sunshine Coast graduate Kye McDonald has always aimed sky-high.
The 33-year-old is now studying Honours at USC after finishing his Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) last year with a grade point average of 6.958.
Kye won the 2009 University Medal for USC’s highest-achieving graduating student. He also won the Faculty Medal for the highest-achieving graduating student in the Faculty of Science, Health and Education. He received both awards at the 2009 Graduation ceremony on 17 April.
Kye, who ran a small business manufacturing radio-controlled gliders a few years ago, said his career goal was to help achieve sustainable coexistence between all of Earth’s species.
“I want to contribute in a meaningful way to mankind’s knowledge of the natural environment, including our interactions within it, to help mitigate the negative impacts of human over-population,” he said.
His Honours project will examine the feeding habits of lesser sooty owls in the wet tropics of Far North Queensland.
The Faculty Medals for Arts and Social Sciences went to Bachelor of Arts graduate Victoria Oyama who achieved a GPA of 6.667. The Business Faculty Medal was shared by Paul Eveleigh and Nickey Wilson who both achieved GPAs of 6.667.
USC’s Chancellor’s Medal winner for 2009 was Public Relations graduate Bethany Young.
World-first Climate Change graduates
Four Sunshine Coast residents became the first in the world to receive a Master of Climate Change Adaptation at the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Graduation ceremony in April.
Kathleen Wood, Greg Laves, Charmaine Savage and Gary Duffey are now qualified to advise governments and businesses on how to prepare for, and respond to, the likely effects of climate change.
The graduates have developed expertise in assessing how climate change is likely to impact on a variety of environmental conditions, from physical and biological to social, economic and cultural.
USC Associate Professor in Environmental Science Peter Waterman said the graduates were ready to meet existing and emerging professional challenges in the field of climate change adaptation.
“They will be able to integrate best practice vulnerability assessment tools and techniques with nationally and internationally endorsed environmental management systems to help mitigate the unwanted effects of climate change,” he said.
USC’s Climate Change Adaptation programs extend from undergraduate to postgraduate qualifications.
Mere, 70, travels from Fiji to receive doctorate
An entrepreneurial mantra to view problems as opportunities is the secret behind the academic success of Fijian businesswoman Dr Mere Samisoni.
Dr Samisoni, 70, received a Doctorate of Business Administration at the University of the Sunshine Coast’s recent Graduation ceremony.
This achievement mirrors the strong business success that Mere has experienced since launching her first Hot Bread Kitchen business in Fiji 30 years ago. Today, her family owns a chain of 29 bakeries across Fiji.
Dr Samisoni said she and her family had returned to Fiji in 1979 after living in Australia for almost two decades and, despite being a highly qualified nurse and administrator, Mere was required to return to the bottom rung of that profession.
“That was unacceptable to me, so I embarked on a Hot Bread Kitchen concept that my family saw at Kenmore Village in Brisbane,” she said.
That decision paid dividends, as did Dr Samisoni’s decision to complete her MBA at the University of the South Pacific and her doctorate at USC.
Dr Samisoni’s Doctoral thesis focused on how Fiji — and other developing island nations — could turn perceived problems into business opportunities.
She said innovation and relevant education and training could lead to business models that embraced all aspects of Fijian life … including those that were often seen as problematic, like race and religion.
Scientists celebrate tuna spawning
University of the Sunshine Coast scientists have helped create aquaculture history through their involvement in a project that has achieved the world-first spawning of captive southern bluefin tuna.
The spawning at the Clean Seas Tuna facility in Arno Bay, near Port Lincoln in South Australia, earlier this year resulted in the production of tens of millions of tuna eggs.
This achievement in a temperate area, thousands of kilometres from the giant fish’s tropical breeding grounds off Indonesia, is a key step towards commercialisation and a revolution of the tuna industry.
USC Professor in Aquaculture Biotechnology Abigail Elizur said she and her colleagues were especially proud of the spawning breakthrough after having been associated with the project for many years.
“This is a triumph of planning and persistence with great Australian entrepreneurs who believed in the role science can have in achieving such a breakthrough,” she said.
Professor Elizur said the USC scientists had worked as part of a collaborative team that included Australian and international researchers, with support from the Australian Seafood Cooperative Research Centre.
Professor Elizur’s ground-breaking work on this project helped her earn USC’s Vice-Chancellor’s Medal for Outstanding University Researcher for 2009.
USC Associate Professor in Aquaculture Genetics Wayne Knibb said the spawning opened the path to revolutionise the tuna industry.
Professor Knibb said he believed the captive Aussie tuna aquaculture industry could grow to a multibillion dollar sector.
Planning students track region’s bicycle use
USC Planning students recently conducted a survey of commuters who were cycling along bike paths in the central Sunshine Coast area.
The research, supported by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and Queensland Transport, aims to help identify how existing bicycle paths are used, bicyclists’ motivations for cycling, and what commuters think about bicycle routes and facilities.
The compiled data is to be used by the council and Queensland Transport to make decisions about forward planning and maintenance of bicycle facilities.
Regional and Urban Planning students conducted the survey as part of their course in Regional Infrastructure Planning.
New appointments boost forestry research
Forestry research at the University of the Sunshine Coast has been significantly boosted by the appointment of three Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries (QPIF) researchers as associate professors.
Plant geneticist Dr David Lee and forestry ecologist Dr Mark Hunt joined the scientific research team at USC recently, while plant scientist Dr Stephen Trueman has been jointly employed by the University and QPIF for the past two years. Two further QPIF researchers, landscape ecologist Dr Valerie Debuse and forestry nutritionist Dr Tim Smith, are now also co-located on the USC campus.
In recent years, the collaboration between the two organisations has resulted in joint forestry projects between the University, QPIF (formerly the DPI&F) and the CSIRO worth more than $7 million.
Honours student awarded for water study
University of the Sunshine Coast Honours student Jane-Louise Lampard has achieved national recognition for her research into recycled water.
Ms Lampard, 37, was the only Queenslander selected for one of ten $5,000 summer scholarships from Water Quality Research Australia, an organisation that focuses on urban water issues related to public health.
Ms Lampard came second at the recent Melbourne presentations, receiving a Highly Commended award, and has already landed a part-time job as research assistant with government-funded group Smart Water Research Facility.
“I looked at emerging contaminants of concern in wastewater recycling and how people might be exposed to these contaminants through sources other than water,” she said.
“I found that the concentrations we could be exposed to from drinking recycled water were considerably lower than what we’re exposed to from other sources such as food intake and lifestyle choices.”
Ms Lampard, who is preparing a follow-up report and testing, said that recycled water went through three extra stages of treatment compared with current drinking supplies.
Motherhood survey gains strong response
A study to determine how women feel about being mothers and what support services they need has gained so much momentum it has surprised even the two researchers involved.
University of the Sunshine Coast psychology academic Dr Angela Huntsman and parenting advice author Jodie Hedley-Ward launched an online survey in May aimed at gaining 400 respondents in both New Zealand and Australia.
That number was achieved within one day, and so far thousands of mothers from across the two countries have completed the anonymous questionnaire at www.motherhoodstudy.net>.
The survey, which takes about 20-30 minutes to complete, includes questions on how mothers feel about their current situation, their outlook for the future, whether they think they are doing a good job as mothers, what level of support they receive, and how they care for themselves.
Dr Huntsman and Mrs Hedley-Ward are delighted with the strong response so far and hope many more mothers will take part in the survey in the months ahead.
The researchers intend to produce the definitive study of motherhood in Australia and New Zealand, one that will inform policy makers and practitioners on how to improve the provision of services to mothers.
Psychology graduate to address conference
One of USC’s first psychology graduates, Ingrid Hawkins, has been invited to present her thesis to the Australian Psychological Society (APS) annual conference in Darwin in late September.
This opportunity to speak at the conference is part of an APS prize that Ingrid, 23, received earlier this year after completing her Honours in Psychology at USC.
The society annually awards prizes to one Honours student from each Australian university to recognise high academic performance.
“My thesis found that knowledge of any genetic predisposition to Type 2 diabetes had a significant positive influence on people’s intentions to get healthy, such as eating well and exercising,” Ingrid said.
“People who weren’t aware of any family history did not show the same level of health intentions. More research is needed, but it indicates why preventive health psychology is so important.”
Ingrid started work in February as an intern psychologist with Disability Services Queensland at Maroochydore.
Inventor offers ‘catch of the year’ project to USC marketing students
A retired fisherman turned entrepreneur who was a grand finalist in the 2008 Invention of the Year awards is hooked on the enthusiasm and skills of 130 University of the Sunshine Coast marketing students.
Hans Jusseit has enlisted students to research and develop an international marketing plan for his Smart Hook invention.
The hook, which reached the finals of the ABC-TV series, The New Inventors, is designed to make long-line tuna fishing safe for sea birds and turtles.
“When USC approached me, I had been talking to marketing consultancies but saw this as a chance to benefit from 130 fresh young minds that are also very focused because this is their semester assignment,” he said.
USC Lecturer in International Business Dr Leone Cameron said it was a wonderful way for students to enhance their learning and practical skills in a real-life Australian small business context.
“A significant percentage of our International Marketing students are from overseas, so they’re working hard with our locally based students to help Hans’s business go global,” she said.
“Plus they’re getting hands-on experience and networking for their future careers.”
New cookbook helps students stay healthy
Nutrition and Dietetics students at USC have released a free cookbook to show how a healthy, tasty diet is possible on a typical student food budget of as little as $55 a week.
Dana Craven and Holly Ambrose produced the 36-page cookbook last semester, and it is available free to University students this semester.
They said they enjoyed researching and testing recipes as they produced the cookbook, Shopping, Cooking and Eating to Stay Healthy.
“We’ve carefully costed them at local supermarket prices, with tips such as using home brands and buying seasonal produce,” Dana said.
The cookbook and other nutrition and healthy activity programs on campus have been funded by a grant from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing.
USC Equity and Diversity officer Marjorie Blowers praised the students’ efforts and said she was delighted by the cookbook.
Ms Blowers said the book contained a full range of recipes that were nutritionally based, easy to make, and fully costed.
“It has everything from sweet apricot drops to vegetable pancakes, with vegetarian and gluten-free dishes,” she said.
“There are heaps of shopping, diet and cooking tips, such as how to freeze meals without losing their nutritional count and what foods contain fibre.”
USC competitors prove they are good sports
Athletes from the University of the Sunshine Coast won the Spirit of the Games award for the first time at the recent Northern University Games.
This award — the Ron Leahy Shield — is presented annually to the university that shows the best sportsmanship and the true essence of the Games, which have a competitive and a social side.
About 600 athletes from 10 universities across Queensland and northern New South Wales took part in the four-day event, which was organised by Australian University Sport and co-hosted by USC.
Competitors lined up for fierce but friendly contests across the Sunshine Coast from 5-8 July in beach touch, beach volleyball, basketball, lawn bowls, netball, football and tennis.
Griffith University’s Gold Coast campus won the championship trophy, while QUT and Bond University claimed the minor placings.
USC finished fourth overall and came away with two gold medals in men’s football and men’s beach touch.
The football team, which boasts players from 10 different nationalities, was undefeated throughout the tournament.
USC also claimed silver in women’s beach touch and mixed beach volleyball, and bronze in the men’s tennis.
The University’s basketball and netball teams also put in some strong performances, springing some upset wins over more fancied rivals.
Triathletes are ready to take on the world
A decision to study sport science at the University of the Sunshine Coast combined with a switch from soccer to triathlon has put Brodie Gardner on track for success.
The 22-year-old from Mooloolaba is one of three USC students selected in the Triathlon Australia team for the international titles to be held on the Gold Coast in September.
Brodie will join Buderim 19-year-olds Chloe Turner and Strachan Kerswill to compete in their respective age divisions at the 2009 International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships.
The USC students will be among 3,000 athletes, including Olympians, from 42 countries at the festival from 9-13 September.
“I’m pretty stoked,” said Brodie, now in the third year of his Bachelor of Science (Sport and Exercise Science) degree.
“The knowledge I’ve gained has helped with my training programs. I’ve learned how to work on the aerobic system and different training methods.”
Chloe, who went to St John’s College at Nambour, is in the first year of her Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science.
Chloe and Brodie were selected for the Olympic distance category, which involves a 1,500m swim, 40km cycle and 10km run. Strachan will compete over a sprint distance.
Building Excellence campaign celebration
To celebrate its first major fundraising campaign, USC hosted more than 100 donors on May 12 to honour the impact their gifts have made on the University.
The event, held at the new donor-supported Health and Sport Centre, marked the culmination of the three-year Building Excellence campaign that raised $5 million for University priorities such as the new Centre, scholarships and bursaries, and campus enhancements.
USC Foundation Board Chair Tim Fairfax AM said in a speech at the event that many people initially felt the $5 million goal for the campaign was too ambitious.
“The support you have shown USC reveals something very special about the Sunshine Coast community, and indeed about this dynamic University,” he said.
As a special surprise, each guest received a unique written message of thanks from one of USC’s 200-plus scholarship, bursary or prize winners.
Guests were treated to a choice of five mini-seminars on health and sport, led by top USC academics.
High achievers receive $12,000 scholarships
Six high-achieving, first-year students at the University of the Sunshine Coast recently received $12,000 Academic Excellence scholarships.
These scholarships were awarded at a special University Foundation event attended by scholarship sponsors, high school principals, the students’ family members and University staff.
Mountain Creek State High School graduate Holly Warland and Hayley Armstrong, who previously attended Suncoast Christian College, received the two Renouf Family Scholarships for 2009.
Sir Clem Renouf presented these scholarships in memory of his parents and their efforts in providing him with a good education through difficult times.
Christine Beutel, previously of Kingaroy State High School, and Gympie State High School graduate Roseanna Langmead received the two Tim Fairfax Regional Scholarships.
Tim Fairfax AM congratulated Christine and Roseanna on earning the scholarships, aimed at supporting students from regional or remote areas.
The two USC Chancellor’s Scholarships for 2009 went to Kawana Waters State College graduate Jayden Lowrie and Felicity Cunningham, previously of Suncoast Christian College.
These scholarships are to recognise, reward and encourage academic excellence. They have been funded by numerous gifts to the University and were presented to the students by Chancellor John Dobson.
Each student spoke at the event, expressing heart-felt appreciation for the scholarships.
Inspired artwork honours donors
A permanent exhibit has been erected at the entryway to the USC Health and Sport Centre to honour the 265 donors to the recent Building Excellence Campaign.
The art piece, which encompasses an entire wall, was commissioned by the University and was supported by donor funding.
The creators are Sunshine Coast artists Glen Manning and Kathy Daly who were recently shortlisted for the prestigious Breen Sculpture Prize in New South Wales.
The exhibit lists the names of major donors to the Building Excellence Campaign, and pays tribute to all who contribute to their community.
The detail in the artwork, entitled “Blechnum”, was inspired by native waterfern and paperbark leaves in the nearby Mooloolah River National Park.
Waterski champ jumps at career in fashion
USC business graduate Oystein Barhaughogda of Norway recently returned to the Sunshine Coast for the Australian launch of his sporty fashion range.
The elite waterski jumper’s “Oysteins” label has this year become a full-time business for the 30-year-old Norwegian, in between skiing competitions around the world.
His swimwear and casual wear aim to reflect the dynamic, outdoorsy lifestyle of waterskiers and wakeboarders. The label was showcased at a Sydney fashion event earlier this year.
Oystein said he was targeting global markets after winning a regional newcomer business award in Norway. He said he was steered in the right direction by his USC degree.
“I came to Australia in 2000 when I was invited by my then Sunshine Coast-based coach Ray Stokes. I wanted to improve my skiing while studying,” he said.
“My plan was to become a computer engineer but I ended up completing a Bachelor of International Business and Marketing at USC by 2003. It suited me much better.
“One of the things I learned in the degree was events marketing, so I put the logo from my personal website on the shirts I wore to the World Cup in Melbourne. People started saying, ‘Where can I buy your clothes?’ and it all happened naturally.”
USC Tourism and Marketing Lecturer Dr Gayle Mayes said Oystein provided a wonderful example of how students could achieve international success with the application of business principles.
Hurley twins make their mark overseas
USC business graduates and twin brothers Michael and Sean Hurley have taken their USC degrees offshore, working in North America and the Middle East respectively.
While Sean is based in a burgeoning city in the United Arab Emirates, renowned for sun, sand and shopping, Michael works in a smaller resort town in the United States that is synonymous with snow, skiing and celebrities.
Michael manages Aria Colorado (a division of Aria Property International), which is based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He oversees all of Aria Colorado’s acquisitions, design, approvals, construction, finance, sales and marketing activities.
Meanwhile, Sean is enjoying a career with PRD Nationwide Middle East, an Australian company that is one of the leading property services companies in the region.
Based in Dubai, Sean’s role as Business Development director sees him support the development industry to create successful, harmonious and sustainable communities.
Alumni awards ceremony
The Outstanding Alumni Awards Ceremony for 2009 will be held on Wednesday 16 September at USC. At this annual event, awards will be presented to alumni who have significantly achieved in their fields of endeavour. All graduates are encouraged to attend to celebrate their fellow graduates’ success and network with other alumni and USC staff. Contact the Alumni Relations office at alumni@usc.edu.au or telephone +61 7 5459 4564 for more details, or go to www.usc.edu.au/alumni
Class of 1999 reunion
The 10-year anniversary reunion of USC’s first graduating class of 1999 will be held on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October at USC’s Innovation Centre Auditorium. Festivities will include dinner and dancing on Saturday night followed by brunch and a campus tour on Sunday morning. Contact the Alumni Relations office at alumni@usc.edu.au or telephone +61 7 5459 4564.
Business boost at Innovation Centre
A seminar titled Digital Futures will be held at USC’s Innovation Centre on Friday 4 September. It is a practical one-day course for all business people wanting to grow their business by marketing their products and services online. Cost is $295 or $245 early bird special if paid before 7 August. Contact Emma Boyle on +61 7 5450 2609 or email: eboyle@usc.edu.au
The Innovation Centre also will run Start-it Up!—an intensive and practical one-day course on how to turn your business ideas, skills and passions into a successful and profitable business. The course will be held on Saturday 17 October. Cost is $195 or $149 early bird special if paid before 18 September. Telephone +61 7 5450 2609 or email: eboyle@usc.edu.au for more details.
Students thrive on encouragement
Five University of the Sunshine Coast students played a key role in the Queensland launch of an innovative organisation that aims to spread the power of encouragement throughout the community.
The team of Public Relations students coordinated an exciting event on Wednesday 27 May to officially launch The Encouragement Foundation, founded by Sunshine Coast businessman and entrepreneur John Shadforth.
More than 100 invited guests, including the Prime Minister’s sister Loree Rudd, attended the event at the USC’s Health and Sport Centre.
Guest speakers included John Shadforth, his son, Steven, who lost a leg in a recent helicopter crash, and Sharif Deen — a grand finalist from the television show, The Biggest Loser.
USC student and project manager Kim Pengelly said the coordinating team took on the project as part of a final-year work-integrated Public Relations course.
Other teams of USC Public Relations students last semester promoted events throughout the community, including the Tour de Kawana charity bicycle ride, an Angels and Devils movie premiere fundraiser for Bloomhill Cancer Help, and an event on campus to promote USC’s language programs in Indonesian, Italian and Japanese.
Gallery exhibitions
Linked Landscapes: Anneke Silver | Bali Drift: Alan Brown
16 July–22 August
Linked Landscapes, a touring exhibition from Cairns Regional Gallery, presents the work of prominent North Queensland artist, Anneke Silver. Her work captures the atmosphere created by the vast and unique northern landscape. Silvers’ large landscapes are composed of grids, each piece linking to reveal the whole.
Bali Drift, by landscape and seascape artist Alan Brown, provides a gentle dream journey to Bali. Brown was a long-established artist in Western Australia before moving to Queensland in 1997.
Creative Generation: regional exhibition 2009
27 August–17 September
The Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art and Design recognises and promotes excellence in senior visual arts education throughout Queensland’s state and non-state schools. Previously known as the Education Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Art, this program has been conducted annually since 1990 and it has helped raise community awareness about the degree of sophistication in concepts, diversity of technical competence, and the high standard of arts education in Queensland secondary schools.
Surface tension: various artists
24 September–7 November
This exhibition features work by ceramic artists Michael Pugh, James Lamar Peterson and Bob Connery and painter Elizabeth Duguid. The artists have each created work for this exhibition to match the theme of surface tension.
Gallery hours
Entry to the University of the Sunshine Coast Gallery is free and the public is welcome. Gallery hours are 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday. The Gallery is closed Sundays and public holidays.