Celebrating Deakin Res Success in 2017

DRS and Deakin staff, Residential Leaders, and high achieving residents came together in September to celebrate our inaugural DRS Student Experience Awards at Waurn Ponds Estate. Three awards categories were presented on the afternoon by special guests Kean Selway (Chief Operating Officer), Kerrie Parker (Chief Financial Officer), and Dana Harding (DUSA President).

Deakin Res congratulates the following recipients:

ACADEMIC AWARDS

Deakin Residential Services has a long history of academic success, with residents continuing to achieve greater levels of both success and retention. Our first category of awards are for those residents who have achieved the highest average mark in their Faculty for trimester 1, 2017.

Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment
Damon Slattery (Burwood)

Faculty of Business and Law
Amy Wright (Waurn Ponds)

Faculty of Arts and Education
Mikaela Street (Waurn Ponds)
Kate Buwalda (Warrnambool)

Faculty of Health
Alice Bleathman (Burwood)

COMMUNITY AWARDS

Our second category of awards are for those residents who have been nominated by their peers or by members of our DRS staffing team for their contribution to the residential community this year.

Leadership

Bill Hansen (Waurn Ponds) Bill is described by his peers as a positive role model within his community – actively engaging in residential events, representing his unit, all the while encouraging others to do the same.

Amber Sharp (Waurn Ponds) Amber solely coordinated a Trivia Night on Campus to raise over $2000 for a peer who was compelled to vacate residences due to medical reasons. Amber also took on a leader role in facilitating an Inter-College Blood Drive, has worked with Sustainability in promoting their KeepCup initiative, is captain of the Daredevils Cheerleading Group and a Deakin Ambassador.

Magenta Neath Cowan (Burwood) Magenta has displayed significant leadership through her time as a Residential Leader this year, including event planning and management, communication with the Campus Life team, and community-building on her floor.

RESPECT Community Values

Erin Bailey (Waurn Ponds) Erin first and foremost role models our RESPECT Values herself and additionally goes above and beyond in her RL role to ensure her residents feel welcomed, supported and engaged.

Global Citizen

Ngugi Thuo (Waurn Ponds) Ngugi has been heavily involved in DRS events and general campus life. He performed an impressive act at ResFactor and has volunteered to teach Hip Hop classes during our Get to KnOw You Week and throughout the trimester.

Community Development

Peri Bowman (Geelong) Peri has worked hard to connect her residents with those based at the Waurn Ponds campus, facilitating a number of events and activities to achieve this goal.

Maddy Barker (Burwood) Maddy is described by her peers and staff as kind, friendly, and welcoming, and is actively involved in college life. Maddy assisted in organising a blood drive for residents in her community, helped to plan numerous events, completed the 100km Oxfam Walk, and maintains excellent academic results.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE AWARDS

Our final award category is for those students who have undertaken Residential Leadership roles this year, and whom have been nominated by their campuses for their exceptional role in organising or facilitating an activity, event or campaign as part of our student experience framework this year.

Health and Wellbeing

Jayden Cogan (Waurn Ponds) Jayden was instrumental in organising an event relating to Mens Health, involving the Geelong Football Club. The evening had over 80 male residents in attendance and covered everything from mental health, to drugs and alcohol.

Katie Zanoni (Burwood) Katie has been an extremely dedicated leader this year in organising the weekly netball competition and encouraging participation from residents from a cross-section of the community.

Social and Community

Kennan Mendis & Kyle Schorback (Waurn Ponds) Kyle and Kennan are joint winners of one of our Student Experience Awards as a result of their instrumental role in the success of ResFactor – a talent show at the Waurn Ponds Campus.

Emma Black (Burwood) Emma contributed hours of work in assisting in the organisation of the annual Burwood Formal Dinner.

Arts and Culture

Zac Purtil (Waurn Ponds) Zac Purtil is a recipient of our Arts and Culture Student Experience Award for his role in supporting the Pay it Forward Campaign at our Waurn Ponds campus. The campaign sought to spread good vibes around the residences by encouraging gestures of good will.

Lachlan Chapman (Burwood) Lachlan has played a key role in creating a positive culture within the residential community at Burwood this year via his dynamic and humorous social media engagement and event reviews.