Connections Archive

Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer

A record number of female theology students won awards at the academic awards forum on Avondale College's Lake Macquarie campus this past Wednesday (November 5).

Janet Augustinsen, Kelly Fry, Lyndelle Knight and Emma Weslake joined 14 other female students on stage in Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church as recipients of awards ranging in value from $100 to $1200.

Janet received $100 as the winner of the Elwin Currow Prize for New Testament Apocalyptic, Kelly $500 for the Edna Ferris Heise Award of Excellence in Communication, and Lyndelle and Emma $1000 and $500 for sharing the Arthur Ferch Prize for Hebrew Studies and the Clifford Anderson Bursary Award of Excellence respectively with male classmates.

"Female theology students come with a keen sense of calling to pastoral ministry and a determination to serve God as His ministers," says one of the presenters, Carole Ferch-Johnson, associate to the Ministerial Association for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia.

They now make up only 25 per cent of enrolment in the Faculty of Theology. "Their involvement in ministry will change the face of local churches," says dean Dr Ray Roennfeldt. "However, there is still much to do in breaking down prejudice, interpreting Scripture responsibly and in providing support for women in ministry."

Final-year education students Candace Macrae and Stephen Platt each received the largest monetary award, the $1200 Award of Excellence.

Visit www.avondale.edu.au/connections/id/222/title/Academic+awards+winners for the complete list of academic awards winners.

Caption: Theology students Lyndelle Knight, Janet Augustinsen, Emma Weslake and Kelly Fry each won an academic award. They are standing with Carole-Ferch Johnson (second from left).

Credit: Lyell Heise