Avondale Alumni Association
About
Avondale College of Higher Education formed its alumni association on October 1, 1988, with Dr Arthur Patrick serving as the first president. Cornelius Szeszeran is the current president.
The purpose of the Avondale Alumni Association is to maintain and encourage contact among members, to foster and encourage interest in Avondale and to work for the development and strengthening of Christian education at Avondale.
The Avondale Alumni Association organises the annual Homecoming and produces the magazine, Reflections. It nominates recipients for and presents the Alumnus and the Young Alumnus of the Year awards, and it nominates recipients for, sponsors and presents the annual Community Service Prize. It also promotes and maintains the Alumni Heritage Walk on the Lake Macquarie campus.
Alumni Heritage Walk
The Avondale Alumni Association launched the Alumni Heritage Walk at Homecoming in 1999 to raise money for restoration and repair work on the Lake Macquarie campus. The walk features black, granite pavers etched with the names of members of the association. The first paver bears the name of Laura Kent, at 108, Avondale's oldest living alumna until her death in 2008. Members of the association make a $175 tax-deductible donation to the college to have their names etched on the pavers.
Annual General Meeting
The Avondale Alumni Association gives notice of its 26th Annual General Meeting. The meeting is in Ladies Chapel on the Lake Macquarie campus of Avondale College of Higher Education (582 Freemans Dr, Cooranbong, NSW) on the Friday of Homecoming, August 23, 2013, at 12.00 PM. The association will hold the meeting in accordance with the constitution. The agenda of the meeting will include:
- Amending the association's constitution
- Electing the president of the association for 2013/2014
- Electing at least five members of the association to serve on the association's committee for 2013/2014
- Receiving the association's report for 2012/2013, and
- Conducting any other business brought to the meeting
Registration is in Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church on Friday, August 23, 2013, from 9.30 AM to 12.00 PM.
Awards
Alumni of the Year
The Alumna and the Alumnus of the Year awards are presented to members of the Avondale Alumni Association at Homecoming. They recognise commitment to Christian service and dedication to achieving personal goals.
Past recipients of the award are:
1998 Ernest Steed
1999 Douglas Easthope
2000 Lyn Behrens
2001 Ray and Ruth Wilkinson
2002 Lyn Knight
2003 David Hay
2004 Ellen and Hulman Sinaga
2005 Athol Bazley
2006 James Cox
2007 Barry and Desmyrna Taylor
2008 Brian Townend
2009 William Johnsson
2010 Erica Borgas
2011 Alan Thrift
2012 Pr Desmond B Hills and Dr Mary Wong
Young Alumni of the Year
The Young Alumnus of the Year award is presented to a member of the Avondale Alumni Association aged 30 and under on the sixth anniversary of their graduation. It recognises commitment to Christian service and dedication to achieving personal goals.
Past recipients of the award are:
2003 Simon Herd
2004 Bruna Tawake
2005 No award
2006 Emma Douglas
2007 Sarah Clifford
2008 Dale Willis
2009 Rebecca Lyngdoh Reye
2010 Johnny Murison
2011 Colin Chuang
2012 Joanna Darby
Community Service Prize
Worth $1000 and presented to an Avondale student for outstanding voluntary service to the community. Click here for guidelines.
Calendar
Visit Events for information about Avondale Alumni Association events. Visit Homecoming for more information about Homecoming.
Connect with the Avondale Alumni Association on Facebook.
Homecoming
Homecoming honours alumni who last studied at Avondale 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 years ago. While class reunions are the focus, Homecoming also includes the Alumni Lecture, the Avondale Alumni Association annual general meeting and luncheon, a tour, a walk, worship services, a concert, a golf classic and the Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing brunch.
Alumni Lecture
Past presenters and topics of the Avondale Alumni Association Alumni Lecture are:
2007 Dr Barry Taylor, retired vice-chancellor for research affairs, Loma Linda University,
"From pioneer to prime minister: the changing mission of Seventh-day Adventist universities"
2008 Pr David Currie, evangelist, author and former Seventh-day Adventist Church administrator,
"Highlights of public evangelism during the last century in the South Pacific"
2009 Graham Mitchell, former head, Commercial Department, Avondale College,
"Business education at a theological college?"
2010 Harwood Lockton, director, international program, Adventist Development and Relief Agency Australia,
"Is the Seventh-day Adventist Church ready for social justice?"
2011 Dr Marion Shields, senior lecturer, School of Education, Avondale College of Higher Education,
"Outliers, misfits or something else?"
2012 Dr Cedric Greive, senior lecturer in science education, Avondale College of Higher Education, "Memories: a journey through mind."
Past honourees of the Avondale Alumni Association Alumni Lecture are:
2007 Eric Magnusson
2008 Allan Lindsay
2009 George Laxton
2010 Tim Gorle
2011 John Hammond
2012 Dr Owen Hughes
Membership
Members of the Avondale Alumni Association receive:
- Access to Avondale Library
- A complimentary subscription to Reflections, and
- Invitations to Homecoming
Membership of the Avondale Alumni Association is free.
The Avondale Alumni Association automatically grants membership to all former students--not just graduates. All current and former Avondale College of Higher Education Council and staff members are also members of the association. The administrators of Avondale may also recommend others for membership.
Reflections
Reflections is a magazine produced bi-annually by the Avondale Alumni Association for alumni and friends of Avondale.
Volunteer
The Avondale Alumni Association welcomes members who wish to serve as volunteers at Avondale College of Higher Education. Contact the Human Resources Department on (02) 4980 2284 for positions vacant.
