Connections Archive

AVONDALE STUDENTS HELP CLOSE THE GAP

A group of Avondale College students have collected 341 petition signatures and 68 letters as part of the Close the Gap campaign. Close the Gap encourages the federal, state and territory governments to commit to closing within a generation the 17-year life expectancy gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. More than 40 organisations are part of the campaign. "I wanted to do this because charity starts at home," says Tammy Zyderveld, a member of the student mission club, COSMOS, and the driving force behind the student-led petition. "There is just as much I can get involved with in Australia as I can overseas."--Kirsten Bolinger

JESS'S FIVE MINUTES OF FAME

Bachelor of Arts student Jessica Parsons's experience as a volunteer in Rwanda led to an appearance on a personal finance television show this past week. A researcher from The Barefoot Investor contacted Avondale College to ask about potential guests. She needed a young adult who had served overseas and had received a tip off about the number of Avondale students who do this each year. Jessica fitted the bill--she received the 2009 Avondale College Alumni Association Community Service Award for volunteering with the Transformational Development Agency in Rwanda, working with those orphaned because of the genocide and with sex workers and their children. The researcher, Kylie Donnar, describes Jessica's phone interview with host Scott Pape as "interesting, funny and inspiring." The interview will appear in a soon-to-be broadcast episode of The Barefoot Investor (Saturdays 1.00 PM, Ten Network, Saturdays 4.30 PM, CNBC).--Brenton Stacey