Celebrating our clubs at the 2020 UC Campus Life Awards
By Ebony Heins
Behind each and every club and society on campus, there are students. Students who devote their time to organising events, providing study support, and helping their peers in any way possible.
The 2020 UC Campus Life Awards stood out from previous years as it commended the clubs, societies, and individuals, that dedicate so much of their time to making our campus vibrant and full of life, even during a lockdown.
It’s been a tough year award
Presented by Andrew Giumelli
“2020 was a rough one for everyone. Yet even through bushfires and a global pandemic, clubs and societies at UC have been supporting their members. The ‘It’s been a tough year award’ is one that acknowledges that have gone above and beyond in these trying times.”
UC Nursing Society
“The UC Nursing Society has remained active throughout the whole year shifting a large number of planned events into virtual events to comply with restrictions. Highlights include the Cafe Chats events which connect academics, professional nurses, and students to provide insight into the profession.”
Source: UC Life
UC Engineering Society
“The Engineering Society took the shift to online in their stride barely missing a beat when adapting. They have maintained virtual events throughout the whole year designed to actively engage with members.”
Canberra Law Students’ Society
“The Law Society has really picked up their activities this year in a range of portfolios but with the core mission of supporting law students. The Law Society has advocated for students, run numerous competitions and created valuable resources for members.”
Source: UC Life
Minecraft Campus: UC Recreation and Entertainment Club, UC Engineering Society, UC Student Undergraduate Developers Organisation, & Bryce Cronin
These guys made that UC Campus on minecraft
TikTok Star Award
Presented by Andrew Giumelli
UC Communications Society
On Campus Event Award
Presented by Benjamin Muller
Winner – UC Vietnamese Student Society for their event Vietnamese Street Food Festival
“In March, UC VSS organised a festival to showcase and introduce a diverse culinary culture from different parts of Vietnam to the Canberra community and international friends. The event had a variety of stalls providing food, performances of Vietnamese Street music and dance, and a showcase of traditional outfits.”
Source: UC VASS Facebook
Off-Campus Event Award
Presented by Benjamin Muller
Winner – Information Technology Students Association for their event KPMG industry tour
“This event gave members a view of consultancy, technology implementation, risk management, and quality assurance providing insight into what these areas are. Students were given a scenario that was about Risk management and was told how that case study could be managed giving real practical experience. KPMG is one of the biggest consulting firms in Australia so this was a very valuable event for ITSA members.”
Source: Information Technology Students Association
Best Physical Product Award
Presented by Alicia Hargraves
Winner – Canberra Law Students’ Society for the Competitions Handbook
“Law competitions can be tricky for students to get their heads around. This year the Canberra Law Students’ Society created a guide to help students navigate the complexities of competitions. It gave students at UC the necessary knowledge needed to effectively compete in internal competitions so they can gain practice and experience for larger competitions.”
Community engagement award
Presented by Alicia Hargraves
Winner – UC Nursing Society
“The Nursing Society has been hugely active in the community this year. They have participated in: Walk for autism, Closing the Gap virtual walk, Virtual market day, Wear it Purple Day, R U Ok day, DVCS high tea, Deafness awareness week. UC breast cancer awareness morning tea, Mental health check-ins, Party Pals event for disabled children. They have also used different awareness days for community outreach via virtual platforms.
In addition to this they have provided direct support for students in the form of donations of goodie bags with personal items, donations to UCX Food Pantry, mental health outreach, virtual catch-ups, liaising with staff, and students when transferring onto online learning.”
Source: UC Nursing Society
Club Startup Award
Presented by Alicia Hargraves
Winner – UC Dramatic Arts Club
“The UC Dramatic Arts Club started in February 2020 with a vision to provide a space for all students to express themselves. Since then they have built a strong committee and membership base and implemented weekly drama workshops and dance classes. Going into a virtual campus made it hard for the club but they have come back this semester with many on-campus events and are even planning a showcase for Stress-less Week.”
Source: UC Life
Unsung Hero
Presented by Alicia Hargraves
Winner – Chrystale Langford
“Chrystale, as a representative of UCNS and individually, has arranged and made donations to the UCX Food Pantry, the broader community, and elderly homes during COVID, sometimes traveling around at midnight to do non-contact drop-offs. She traveled around giving out warm meals, drinks, and soap/hand sanitiser to homeless people.
Chrystale started a support group ‘In this together’ for parents and carers of people with disabilities to connect. She is the founder of ‘Party Pals’ and holds events for children with disabilities and their families. This has been going for 4 years.
“Chrystale is the incoming Vice president of the Nursing Society and Indigenous Rep and we can’t wait to see everything else that she achieves.”
Source: UC Nursing Society; Left to right: Chrystale Langford, Jess Kerrigan & Joanne Brown Hardy
President of the Year
Presented by Alicia Hargraves
Winner – Edward Hinch from UC PIRaNaS
“Before his term even began as president he had to step and up and take on the role of president. He then served a year as president and has been extremely dedicated to the society. It’s said he can work the word ‘PIRaNaS’ into almost every conversation and has amazing relationships with industry professionals and teaching staff alike. This has helped PIRaNaS to become a club that is recognised by some of Australia’s largest think tanks and organisations.”
Source: UC PIRaNaS Facebook
Lion Club Person of the Year
Presented by Alicia Hargraves
Winner – Elise Webb
“Elise has been a determined and supportive president throughout her entire term from July 2019 to present. She is dedicated to improving the experience of undergrad nursing students at UC and has been advocating on their behalf since 2018. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Elise was positive and adaptable, she changed most of UCNS’s planned events of 2020 to be online and motivated the UCNS committee to continue to connect and support nursing students.
Elise helped to organise and run UCNS events such as Cafe Chats, Virtual Yoga with Meredith, and International Nurses and Midwives week. Elise has assisted other committee members with organising their own events such as first aid and CPR sessions, sport Fridays, New Grad Q&A, nursing pinning ceremony, trivia sessions, and market days. She did this on top of studying her final year of nursing at a full-time study load and attending clinical placements.
Elise worked with faculty nursing teachers to arrange graduate hoodies for our final year students, this has provided final year students a way to unite and celebrate their achievements despite the challenges of COVID.”
Source: UC Nursing Society
Cultural Club of the Year Award
Presented by Benjamine Muller
Winner – UC Japan Club
“The UC Japan Club has been a strong club in 2020 contributed weekly events both online and on-campus as restrictions allowed. To continue to engage their members during COVID, the club created a Discord server which has been very successful and keeps members active within the club. The Japan club also runs regular language and cultural classes, grammar, and conversational classes, and cooking workshops.”
Social Club of the Year Award
Presented by Benjamine Muller
Winner – UC Rotaract Club
“The UC Rotaract Club has been very active this year holding regular meetings as well as professional development, volunteering, and social events. They have managed to maintain online engagement with members throughout the COVID restrictions with online meetings, weekly cook-offs, and watch parties. The club also promotes health messages and initiatives to members to encourage them to stay healthy and active together.”
Source: UC Life
Academic Club of the Year
Presented by Benjamine Muller
Winner – UC Nursing Society
“With 2020 being the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, the UCNS planned a full year of activities and celebrations. When COVID-19 restrictions came into effect these plans had to quickly change. The executive frequently takes it upon themselves to reach out to students to check-in and see how they are traveling and offer support.
Some of the biggest achievements that the UCNS has made this year have been the donation to the bush fire drive, Walk for autism, assisting with Party pals, World’s Greatest Shave, Closing the Gap walk, Salvation Army winter drive, raising awareness for multiple different areas of health.
The club has truly lived up to their motto: Lead, Learn, Grow, Connect.”
Source: UC Nursing Society