2022 Faculty of Education Awards for Excellence and Recognition

It has been a challenging year for many, dealing with the roll-on effects of COVID and devastating floods. Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, who hosted the event, praised the spirit of resilience in staff and students.

“As we emerge from the worst of the COVID years, it’s a good time to reflect on how we have overcome the challenges of moving teaching online, organising placements, and working in schools, not to mention the significant effect these last few years and extreme climate change weather disasters have had on children and ourselves.

“It’s very gratifying to see how students and Faculty staff have risen to those challenges and excelled. We have 75 students on the Dean’s Honour List this year who have achieved above a 6.5 GPA – which is amazing, and of those, four students have achieved a GPA of 7.0. I’m very proud of them all.”

Special student recognition included the Byron Writers Festival Prize to Caleb Eriksson and the SAGE Award for Service. This award acknowledges the service of the Student Advisory Group for Education (SAGE) leadership team – Angela Ashcroft, Christina Bijkerk, Kurt Breed, Josie Hockey and Benjamin Hockey – in forming a diverse and passionate community of students.

Faculty staff were also acknowledged for their outstanding teaching, research, and service.

The Professional Staff Award for Service went to Faculty Executive Assistant Penny Bredenkamp, while Anita Johnston-Oost picked up the Professional Staff Award for Innovation and Improvement. Educator of the Year went to Patrick Bruck for the second year in a row, with a Commendation for Teaching Excellence to Renee Stokes-Marshall and HDR supervisor of the Year to Professor Liz Mackinlay.

The Faculty’s leading research is well-known and was recognised with awards for Early Career Researcher of the Year to Dr Megan Kelly, Researcher of the Year to Associate Professor Louise Phillips and two awards for outstanding research publications to "A sense of belonging at university: student retention, motivation and enjoyment," by Kelly, M.L., Willis, R., & Nieuwoudt, J.E. (staff publication award); and "Young people’s understandings and attitudes towards marine debris: a systematic scoping review," by Canosa, A., Paquette, M.L. et al. (HDR publication award).

The Faculty of Education Awards mark the important milestone of almost one year since the Faculty’s new strategy was launched with a mission to lead and empower profound educational change, now and for a sustainable future.

Faculty of Education Dean’s Honour List 2022:

Adanya Shadi, Alexander Tkaczyk, Amalia Pearl, Andrew Coates, Angela Ashcroft, Annalise Burgess, Ashleigh Larrescy, Brendan Prince, Bridget Brosi, Cathy Bradley, Chloe Burke, Colleen Gardener, Dean Power, Deanna Du Plooy, Diana Karanfilovska, Dylan Crockett, Eboni Flaherty, Elise Hill, Ellen King, Emilee Gibbs, Emily Opazo, Ester Karuso-Thurn, Grace Forrester, Gypsy Forrest, Hayley Bollard, Holly Hinds, Jacinta Cooke, Jackson Camporeale, Jake Moore, Jarrod Taylor, Jaspreet Virk, Jaye Magnum, Jenny Morey, Jessica Roberts, Joanne Symes, Josie Hockey, Justin Somerville, Kara Martin, Karen Hill, Kate Neilson, Katie Wainwright, Kay Newman, Kelly Bryant, Kerry-anne Cowdell, Kristy Thorne, Lucas Wagland, Madeleine Bell, Magdalena Klimek, Maria Ting, Maryanne Lockton, Meegan Anderson, Melody Cason, Misuzu Okada, Natalie Bassan, Ngaire Hutchinson, Nicola Preston, Peita Champion, Poppy Geldart, Rachel Land, Rachel Kitcher, Riley Barrett, Robert Lucivero, Rosemary Smith, Samantha Darnley-Stuart, Samuel Clifton, Sarah Trevaskis, Sarah-Jane Read, Sebastian McGrath, Shannon Tuson, Shogo Morizane, Stephanie Minarik, Tara Hardy, Toby Ervin, Victoria Atkinson, Wing Sie Chow.

Find out more about the Faculty of Education at Southern Cross University.

Media contact: Southern Cross University media and content team, [email protected]