


![]()



The St Andrew’s Scholars Program seeks young people with the capacity and commitment to realise their potential to lead their College, university, nation and world. The scholarships offered as part of the Program provide full fee relief and are awarded for the entire duration of each student’s undergraduate degree. Successful applicants are exceptional young men and women who thrive academically, are engaged in life, and have the potential to make a significant positive contribution to College and, in the future, the wider community.
We are pleased to introduce our 2021 St Andrew's Scholars:
• Rosie Charge (Fr 2021) - studying a Bachelor of Science; Med Science at The University of Sydney
• Jules Vahl (Fr 2021) - studying a Bachelor of Arts and Law, majoring in Latin at The University of Sydney
• Mari Watkins (Fr 2021) - studying a Bachelor of Arts and Law, majoring in Ancient History at The University of Sydney
Please visit https://www.standrewscollege.edu.au/scholars/ to read the individual Q&A’s with each of the Scholars.
A matter of ATTITUDE and PERSPECTIVE
Henry Ford made this saying famous in the 1940’s
“Whether you think YOU CAN or think YOU CAN’T you are RIGHT"
St Paul made this saying famous 2000 years ago.
“I can do ALL things through CHRIST who STRENGTHENS me."
(Philippians 4:13)
Rev Dr Gareth Clayton OAM, Chaplain




From the Chair & Bird
From our Student Leaders
Semester One has been action packed; our Chair & Bird discuss the College’s progress.
The new building is officially opened by the Governor of New South Wales.
We congratulate those students who have had academic success in 2020.
We catch up with three St Andrew's alumni who are headed to Tokyo.
100 years of the Archibald Prize and the portraits that hang at St Andrew's College.
Education & Student Life Update
Thyne Reid Link Building Opening
Certificate of Cross-Disciplinary Problem Solving
High Achievers Honour Roll
Music Program
Palladian Report
Rawson & Rosebowl Report
Drew's News Piece: Collaborative Writing Prize
Staff Spotlight
Introducing our new Faculty
2021 Artist in Residence
Public Art Project Update
Celebrating 20 Years of Women in 2022
Spotlight on Drew’s Olympic hopefuls
From the Archives
Alumni Community: Where are they now?
Community Events
From the Society
Highlander Club Members' Welcome Event Awards, Achievements & Obituaries
Blue & White is published twice a year by the College Advancement and Marketing teams for the St Andrew’s College community. We wish to thank all of our student photographers for their contributions.
Editorial Team Photographers
Hannah Atwell
Alana Chambers
Sarah Martelli
Neon Fan (Fr 2020)
Zoe Kemp (Fr 2020)
Nick Reynolds (Fr 2021)
Charlie Stuart (Fr 2020)
Matthew Duchesne

What a welcome return to near-normality this first semester of 2021 has been.
Our freshers have participated in an abundance of collegial events and activities that were simply not possible in 2020, enabling them to enjoy a very positive start to life at St Andrew’s. As a group that has already demonstrated considerable talent across academia, performing arts and sport, we look forward to watching them flourish in College throughout their first year.
We reflect on our situation this time twelve months ago, when our doors regrettably closed for the safety of the community. With no indication of what was yet to come, and for how long, it is with great relief we see a full College yet again transforming this place into the vibrant community it is always intended to be. Our student leadership has written a piece (page 6) outlining the achievements by the Students’ Club in the first half of this year, displaying their customary pride and enthusiasm.
Semester 1 has been full of memorable occasions. We were delighted to (finally) officially open the Thyne Reid Link Building with a long-postponed ceremony held in March. Attended by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, the Governor of New South Wales, we were joined by guests both at College and via a live-stream online. It was a momentous event; you can read more about it and
view some of the photos from the day on page 8. We thank all who attended.
Our Education & Student Life team is, as ever, extremely busy working tirelessly to ensure the best programs and experience for our current Androvians. There is always a wealth of information and updates coming from E&SL, and on page 7 you can learn more about their latest projects. They are also launching the second iteration of the Certificate of Cross-Disciplinary Problem Solving in the mid-year winter break (see page 10); the interest in applying to be part of the course has been extremely high. We are very pleased to offer such a unique, high-demand course within our College, and will be considering how best to expand our course selection throughout our new five year strategic cycle.
Achieving impressive academic results are a cornerstone of student life at St Andrew’s, and we recently held our University & Schools Dinner in the Dining Hall. Our highest achievers throughout 2020 are listed on pages 12-13. We congratulate them on these tremendous results throughout what was a disruptive year.
Our Rawson, Rosebowl and Palladian results have been contested as fiercely as ever this year, with the level of talent and commitment extremely high. We are currently in the lead for both the Rawson Cup and the Rosebowl. House Committee members Annie Miller, Harry Mitchell and Alice
Litchfield report on their respective Intercol results on pages 15-17.
Drew’s News continues to produce some terrific blogs, all penned by current Androvians. A competition was recently held, in which pairs of students wrote and submitted an article. ‘What an $8 vodka raspberry can teach us about toxic masculinity’ was awarded first prize by the judging panel, and we are pleased to publish it for the first time in this issue (page 18). Congratulations to freshers Ed Goodman and Alex Malouf on their winning piece. We encourage you to visit Drew’s News online, as blogs across a wide range of topics are published regularly.
The upcoming Tokyo Olympics has an added element of excitement for us, with several Androvians heading to Japan to compete. Our Olympic hopefuls are profiled on page 26. We wish each of them the very best of success, and look forward to following their progress.
We're sure we can all appreciate that College would not run nearly as efficiently if it weren’t for the remarkable staff behind the scenes. We’ve put the spotlight on two of our much-loved staff members, Food & Beverage Manager Freeman Lam and the newly-titled Head of Creative Arts, Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith (page 20). The experience and commitment they bring to the College is unparalleled; here you can learn more about their lives, both inside and outside of the College.
A restructuring of our Academic team has resulted in the College appointing Heads of Faculty to replace the previouslytitled Teaching Fellows. We introduce you to the leaders of our new academic faculties on page 22.
We have also recently welcomed Amala Groom, a Wiradyuri conceptual artist, to College as our current Artist in Residence. Learn more about her work and current projects on page 23. We look forward to her insights and contributions to College over the course of this year.
Our Advancement team has held some highly successful events this year, including the Parents’ Cocktail Evening, Young Alumni Social Drinks and the Rawson Rugby Final Event in addition to working alongside the Education & Student Life Team on a number of Professional Development Program events. They continue to keep our alumni and parents wholeheartedly engaged with College, and demonstrate our belief in the idea of Andrew’s as an enduring community. From page 30 onwards, you can read about recent alumni events and achievements.
This issue of Blue & White emphasises that as ever, College continues to look ahead and move forward. We have so much good news and progress to share with you, and we hope you enjoy catching up on all things Andrew’s within these pages.
We hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and well, and we always welcome your feedback.
Wayne Erickson Charlie Taylor (Fr 1982, SS 1985) Principal Chair of Council


Off the back of 2020, we are looking forward to a better, more holistic year at College, and 2021 has so far provided us with just that. Andrew’s students are embracing being back on College grounds and making the most of the opportunities offered. We believe that the mindset of returners has adapted to the mentality that the pandemic can send us home at any point, so let’s make the most out of every day at College. This has proven true as the Dining Hall culture has never had a stronger buzz around it during mealtimes.
Working within COVID-19 government regulations, our Student Leaders coordinated a successful Welcome Week full of both new and old traditions, ensuring that we support our talented 2021 fresher cohort in their College transition. We could not be more impressed with the calibre of first years in their academic, art and sporting pursuits as well as their positive attitude to College life. We strongly believe they are a great addition to our community.
2021 has also allowed us to properly enjoy the new Thyne Reid Link Building and the facilities it has to offer. The Taylor Gym is one of the most commonly used additions to the College and is greatly appreciated by the students. Teams and individuals can train here in preparation for Rosebowl and Rawson campaigns. Located in the Kenyon Common Room we have new music rooms for our performers to practise in
preparation for our Palladian campaign. These new additions to our campus have helped our performers and athletes win our campaigns thus far, including Rosebowl Netball, Swimming and Hockey, Rawson Swimming and Rugby and Palladian Solo Vocal and Solo Drama. We are extremely chuffed with this positive start to our intercollegiate competitions. In saying this, we would like to further extend our thanks to the donors, staff, architects and everyone that helped make the new building possible.
The House Committee and Pastoral Care Leader teams are well underway with various projects and goals we would like to carry out in 2021. As the Executive, we have been thankful to work with such a creative and driven group of students who all strive to make the community here at St Andrew’s safe and welcoming every day.
In reflecting on a successful semester one, we are looking forward to semester two where we will enjoy spectating and participating in other sports and Palladian campaigns and most importantly making more unforgettable experiences and memories that we will look back on fondly in years to come.
Digby Cooke Cara Skirrow Harry Best Senior Student Honorary Secretary Honorary Treasurer
St Andrew’s College is one of many institutions that became reliant on Zoom last year. The platform promised a sense of remaining connected, enabling students to attend leadership seminars, tutorials, rehearsals, jam sessions, and other programs that are part of the academic year. But as this year’s Welcome Week approached, our attitude towards ‘digital collegiality’ began to change. Zoom became an unattractive alternative to clinking glasses at a cocktail function or talking to a guest speaker over dinner.
Granted, there is something incredibly convenient about Zoom. It reduces commute time. It allows you to work from anywhere; to attend important meetings with footy shorts on. But there are other educational benefits of learning online. Our computer science students have noted the value of screen sharing when doing coding tutorials, while our law students have reflected on how useful the capacity to pause a lecture can be.
Some commentators have questioned the long-term viability of on-campus higher education providers. In his book 'The Australian Idea of the University', Professor Glyn Davis, the former Vice-Chancellor of Melbourne University, noted that, “the arrival of online educators provides an attractive alternative to the campus-based public university with its familiar menu of degrees, semesters and academics concerned with garnering time for research”.
The experience of 'Digital Drew’s' taught us that some educational offerings can be run online with few downsides. Universities arrived at similar conclusions – whether one is sitting in a hall or at a computer, the experience of a lecture is relatively similar.
When we launched our new Faculty Model, we launched a 'hybrid' program: partly online, partly in-person. We have embraced online professional development events where the guest speaker is living overseas or interstate. In short, there is a lot to love about online learning.
But the experience also reminded us that in-person engagement is quintessential to our mission: helping students become better thinkers and better people before they emerge from university life to tackle the world of work. Think of discussion-based tutorials, rehearsals, or professional development events in which you can chat. Then there are highlights of the student calendar which create social cohesion through in-person mingling.
Another program that would be diminished by digitisation is our Certificate of Cross-Disciplinary Problem Solving, an intensive course that uses small discussion groups and social events as engaging and interactive educational platforms. Without intimate group activities (such as building robotic hands for landmine victims) or events (such as visiting the Mirvac Head Office), the course might have felt like an online uni degree.
Universities and colleges must embrace the appetite for flexible education options. But their survival hinges on acceptance that there is appetite for what you can’t run on Zoom. Some magical moments of community just don’t work online. Creating these 'moments' is the focus of E&SL in 2021 and beyond.
Will Cesta Director of Education & Student Life


On Saturday 6th March 2021, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, the Governor of New South Wales officially opened the new Thyne Reid Link Building. She was joined by guests in-person and online via live-stream link for the momentous occasion.
Vice Principal Hester Wilson was the Master of Ceremonies for the day and the formal proceedings commenced with Gadigal Elder, Allen Madden giving a Welcome to Country. Guests heard from the Principal, Wayne Erickson who spoke about how the architects and builders sought to understand the College’s culture and history to then design and construct a building that reflected this. Charlie Taylor, Chair of Council, expressed his hopes for the College and thanked all those who made the building a reality - in particular the Major Works Team and also the donors who have supported the project philanthropically.
Senior Student, Digby Cooke described the new building as an integral part of the St Andrew’s Community, with students using the new spaces to work, study and congregate in ways they were unable to do so before. Rev Dr Gareth Clayton then gave a Prayer of Dedication. Our talented students followed this with a performance of a musical composition titled 'In the Midst'. This piece was commissioned by the College and written by current student Adrian Whitehall.
Following the musical performance, guests heard from the University of Sydney’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Stephen Garton. He emphasised the intrinsic relationship between the two institutions and the integral roles they share with their commitment to education. The formal proceedings concluded with the Official Address from Her Excellency. She reflected upon her role as Governor and the privilege that comes with this before thanking all those involved in the project for "creating a new space that combines everything that is good about community".
Following this, the Thyne Reid Link Building was officially opened by Her Excellency and the sandstone commemorative plaque was unveiled. The St Andrew’s Pipe Band closed out the ceremony, performing 'Highland Cathedral' and piping guests to the reception on the lawn.
Guests who attended in-person were given the opportunity to take a tour of the new building and meet some of our students who currently reside there.
We hope all who attended both in-person and online enjoyed the day and festivities!
Hannah Atwell Director of Advancement








In the last edition of Blue & White, I shared the College’s plans to offer an innovative new course, 'Certificate of CrossDisciplinary Problem Solving'. I now have the great pleasure of looking back on the inaugural course and sharing the news of its success.
Our Certificate was designed to help students become better thinkers. It straddles two forms of education that are often treated as diametrically opposed: liberal arts study and professional training run by consultancies such as McKinsey & Company.
Students studied jurisprudence with Ian Jackman SC (Barrister); consulting with Charlie Taylor (McKinsey), Josh Dowse (Clarity Partners) and Robert McLean (McKinsey); emotional intelligence with Eleanor Gammell (Small Giants Academy); ethics with A/Prof Luke Russell (University of Sydney), and leadership with our very own Principal. They also enjoyed standalone sessions with industry leaders and academics, including Professor Simon Haines (Ramsay Centre), Sasha Kovic (Roberts Co), Campbell Hanan (Mirvac), Ellie Hewitt (Visa), Craig Blair (AirTree Ventures), Dr Grant Hill-Cawthorne (UK Parliament), and Dr Kate Winchester (Notre Dame University).
Throughout the course, our students had the opportunity to choose a problem of interest and solve it. For example, one student turned his mind to reducing shark attacks in Ballina, while another explored the possibility of using microfinance to reduce poverty in Zimbabwe.
The feedback we received was very positive. All students who completed the course evaluation survey reported that
they had a positive overall educational experience and said that they would “recommend the course to [their] peers”. Somewhat concerningly for Australian universities, no students found their university degrees “more intellectually stimulating” than the Certificate.
What didn’t work? There are a few things we will be tweaking before re-running the course again over the winter break. To start with, the course name was described as “a bit of a mouthful” (although we are yet to achieve consensus on an alternative). Secondly, the assessment task expectations were “a bit confusing”. And finally, some students thought that the course moved a little too quickly at times.
In addition to remedying what didn’t work so well, we will be adding new branches to the next iteration of the course which we are running over the winter break. Current parent, Louise Clegg, a brilliant teacher and barrister who has appeared before the High Court, Federal Court and NSW Supreme Court, will be joining our faculty to teach a unit on the problems facing liberal democracies around the world. We will also hear from some talented young alumni, including Sean Stuart (Fr 2018), who will be returning to College to talk about his recently published book, 'The Curious Ape'.
We would be delighted to hear from alumni or parents interested in becoming part of this project. We welcome new ideas and new contributions!
Will Cesta Director of Education & Student Life





We extend our congratulations to the following St Andrew's College students who have received an average mark of High Distinction or Distinction during 2020:
Benjamin Adams
Dominic Albertson
James Armstrong
Finlay Ball
Zoe Biggs
Judith Browne
Roisin Browne
Adele Burke
Thomas Carraro
Clare Carter
Anna-Sophia Carter Omoe
Timothy Collins
Emily Dawson
John Downes
Christina Friars
Suzanne Glenday
Laura Grant
James Haskis
Mohammed Hassan
Jacqueline Henville
Elizabeth Hewish
Andrew Hingston
Alexander Hoskinson
Christina Kirkwood
Kristina Lane
Clarissa Luk
Thomas Mackenzie-Wood
Patrick Mahony
Lucy Mauviel
Connor Murphy
Robert Abadee
Georgia Allen
Jessica Amos
William Andrews
Clare Armstrong
Amber Arnold
Christal Au-Yeung
Nicholas Baines
Grace Barr
Sophie Barrie
Ciara Barry
William Basil-Jones
Emily Bell
Lucy Benuska
Dyone Bettega
Bill Blampied
Oonagh Bolton
Daniel Botha
Daniel Breden
Rohan Browning
Billie Brownlow
Emily Brunner
Alexis Bundy
Chester Burns
William Burns
Penelope Butler
Sophia Carmody
Laura Chancellor
Maisie Chandler
Asher Clark
Emelia Coe
Rosa Comi
Tom Constable
Emily Cooke
Callum Cooke
Digby Cooke
William Cottle
Georgia Cottle
Hamish Crafter
Eliza Curll
Grace Dowse
Ashley Dribbus
Charles Dummer
Elijah Eales
Samuel Reckling
Temana Short
Courtney Snushall
Lachlan Stewart
Hamish Taylor
Mia Thomas
Danielle Tweedale
Emily Tyrrell
Nick van Veen
Malcolm Ward
Hannah Westhuizen
Adrian Whitehall
Sienna Whiteley
Lachlan Zhou
Matthew Zylstra
Sophia Eales
Elliott Earnshaw
Maxwell Eastwood
Laura Eckersley
Maddison Everingham
Neon Fan
Joshua Farr-Jones
Lucy Fenwicke
Oliver Fergusson
Augustine Flett
Matthew Fogarty
Jackson Fredericks
Tom Galvin
Laura Ganley
Alexandra Gerrard
Lucinda Gillis
Hugh Gingell
Jasper Gotterson
Laura Gourley
Abigail Gunning
Kiran Gupta
Bilqis Hague
Charlotte Haling
Rhiannon Hames
Benjamin Hansen
James Harding
Elizabeth Harper
Zoe Haseler
Mia Hasson
Hugo Hayman
Sophie Heathcote
Alexander Heintze
Jaime Hemmingway
Jack Hennessy
Jamie Hepburn
Nicholas Hill
Joshua Hodgkinson
Madeline Holthouse
Sophie Hoskins-Murphy
Alastair Hoskinson
Clare Hunt
Owen Hunt
Stirling Hutchings
Imogen Johnson
Lauren Jones
Emily Joseph
Zoe Kemp
Nicola Kery
Lucy Kirk
Andrew Knight
Emma Korff
Luca Lamond
Lucy Last
Sasha Lavender
Philip Law
Alice Litchfield
Michelle Lonsdale
James Low
Sabrina Mann
Alexander Marrapese
Annabel Martin
Lachlan Martin
Sebastian Martin
Kupakwashe Matangira
Maisie McFadyen
William McGregor
Stella McPhee
Isabelle Mellish
Nick Melrose
Tommy Milin
Annie Miller
Katinka Morris
Harry Moses
Mia Mossenson
Lydia Munro
Harriet Naismith
Ella Nicol
Kate Nicol
Annie Nikolovski
Onor Nottle
Daniel O'Brien
Claire O'Connor
Olivia O'Donnell
James Osborne
Summer Page
Zara Paleologos
Reilly Palmer
Lily Paterson
Frederick Payne
Marcus Peters
Georgia Poole
Eleanor Price
Emily Prickett
Annika Rhoades
Ariana Ricci
Elsa Robertson
Sattrapattana Ruangvanish
Xavier Ruberg
Henry Ryan
Harry Salvesen
Isabella Scullard
Drew Sellers
Isobel Shannon
Angela Shin
Matthew Simmon
William Smith
Amey Sonawane
Priya Soni
Charlotte Stuart
Ricky Tang
Olivia Taylor
Stirling Taylor
Bell Thomas
Samuel Vail
Tom van Dongen
Jennifer van Ratingen
Cassidy Watts
Daniel Webb
Sienna Weir
Alice Weller
Sophie Whalley
Thomas Wickham
Talia Wijesinghe
Lucille Williams
Angus Williams
Harry Wilson
Felix Wood
Thomas Woodcock
Elisabeth Woodcock
Charles Woodhouse
Maximilian Woollard
Harry Wright
Millie Youngman
Christopher Zauner
Wendy Zheng


After minimal performances in 2020 due to COVID-19, the College Music Program started the year with a flourishthe long-awaited premiere of Adrian Whitehall’s ‘In the Midst’, for the Thyne Reid Link Building Opening. Adrian, an instrumental scholar with the College since 2016, is also a successful composer, whose music has been performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Steel City Strings. The new building's Opening Ceremony seemed like a perfect opportunity to commission a new work - what may be the College’s first - and we are fortunate to have several composers in College from whom to choose. Adrian’s long history with the College, and prestigious performance and awards so far, led to him being awarded the opportunity.
‘In The Midst’ united our string and choral scholars, plus keyboard and pipes, in a site-specific work describing the freedom of choice and individual paths experienced by College students. The free and quasi-improvisatory nature of the music was initially a challenge for some students used to more traditional notation, but everyone rose to the challenge. The intensive rehearsals in the first week of semester proved to be an excellent way to kick off College music-making and help students to meet each other.
With twenty-four music scholars and many other College residents, our Choir, Jazz Band and Chamber Ensemble are
all busy with regular rehearsals. Jazz Band continues under the leadership of Jim Osborne, who has organised the purchase of a new set of congas for a growing number of interested percussionists. Sophie Hoskins-Murphy has taken on leadership of the Chamber Ensemble.
The Chapel Choir has now expanded to over twenty singers, and is experimenting with a new leadership model, where each choral scholar leads the ensemble in rehearsing and performing a piece of their choice. So far the choir has covered works by two Australians, Paul Jarman and gospel musician Tony Backhouse, and is looking forward to a diverse program spanning everything from Eric Whitacre to Paul Simon, Bruckner to Queen.
We were able to showcase some of this new talent at our recent Coffee Concert on Saturday 5th June. Based on student feedback, we updated the format and timing of our previous Gala Concerts so that parents, alumni and friends of the College could come for morning tea and hear a one hour music recital from some of our talented musicians. This was the first of many musical performances that we hope to bring to you throughout the remainder of the year.
Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith Head of Creative Arts
The Palladian competition this year has been of an outstanding level, and St Andrew’s has been at the forefront so far.
The first event was the Solo Instrumental and proved a tremendous opening to the St Andrew’s Palladian campaign; our double bassist Adrian Whitehall scored second place. Adrian played an exceptional rendition of ‘Concerto No.2 (1st Movement)’ by Giovanni Bottesini and his performance of this challenging piece was engaging and dynamic. Will Carraro was our other performer and he showcased his talent on the violin performing ‘Paper Boats’ by Emma Greenhill.
This great start was continued in the Solo Vocal where we claimed both first and second place. Micah Papalii-Talanai inspired the audience with his performance of ‘I Never Lost My Praise’ by Tremaine Hawkins. Having his father on the drums and his cousin on the bass made the song all the more powerful, placing him first. Charlotte MacDonald gave a fantastic performance of ‘Being Alive’ from 'Company' by Stephen Sondheim, bringing the character to life on stage and earning second place. The two accompanists for the night Jayden Soedirdja and Danielle Tweedale should also be commended on their work throughout the campaign.
St Andrew’s continued the streak by coming in third and fourth in Oration. The topic this year was ‘Too Comfortable’ and our two contenders Thurkka Jeyakumar and Adelaide Taylor spoke exceptionally. Thurkka’s speech ‘Yeah nah, but where are you

really from?’ challenged the acceptance of multiculturalism in Australia and achieved her a third place score. Adelaide didn’t shy away from making the audience uncomfortable in speaking about ‘cancel culture’ and encouraging open conversation, her speech awarded with a highly commended.
The next event on the roster was Dance. Led and choreographed by Elisabeth Woodcock and Lauren Jones, St Andrew’s put on some highly entertaining pieces of work. The ‘Big Dance’, consisting of 24 students transported the audience back to the 70s, with their rendition of Elvis Presley’s 'Jailhouse Rock'. The ‘Small Dance’, titled 'Recovery & Relapse', consisted of 12 dancers and entranced the audience with a haunting interpretation of the vicious cycle of addiction. The dancers made use of their props and used black charcoal paint to cover their mouths throughout the piece, symbolic of the activated charcoal which is used in first aid response to overdose. The dancers unfortunately did not place, which is a testament to the highly competitive nature of the competition.
The final event for the semester was the Solo Drama with Alice Litchfield winning first place. The event was of a very high standard with impressive displays from all, including our other Andrew's performer, Charlotte MacDonald.
Alice Litchfield (Fr 2018) Cultural Representative 2021


St Andrew’s is in a strong position in this year’s Rawson Competition as we reach the end of the first semester. Our men’s Cricket team played with passion in classic Drew’s fashion, however, they were unable to bring home the Cricket trophy, finishing second.
The Rawson Swimming and Diving team was dominant in competition, defeating each of the other Colleges. These wins put Drew’s in the lead for the Rawson campaign.
Our Rawson Rugby team displayed a powerful performance throughout their campaign to the finals. In the end, they defeated St Paul's College 45 - 10 and successfully retained the cup for another year.
Unfortunately, the Rawson Rowing competition scheduled for this semester was postponed at the last minute due to algae in the water at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith. The regatta has since been rescheduled for 8th October in Semester 2.
Our rowers are continuing to train in the gym and will hit the water closer to the regatta. Both the Rawson Soccer and Basketball teams are now consistently training and the men’s Tennis trials have also commenced.
All Rawson secretaries are confident that with sufficient training they will be able win their respective sports.
Harry Mitchell (Fr 2018)
Rawson Representative 2021
Our Rosebowl campaign for Semester 1 has been extremely successful with our teams retaining the Netball, Swimming and Hockey cups.
The semester kicked off with Netball, a crowd favourite. Going into the finals the Drew's team was undefeated. This game was the closest of the campaign with only 1 or 2 points in the contest throughout. In the final minutes, it was the leadership of Georgie Cottle who made an intercept on Wesley’s centre pass to get the team a one-goal win (32-31). Our women retained the Cup for the 11th consecutive year.
From the court to the pool, we then participated in Rosebowl Swimming. Our women were extremely dominant amongst the high calibre of Intercol swimmers. Lucy Mauviel began the night winning the Women’s 400m Freestyle with a 5.02.06, 17 seconds faster than any other swimmer in the pool. Special mention to fresher Alannah Webster who placed 1st in both the Women’s 100m Freestyle and Women’s 200m IM. Andrew’s won the night with a total point score of 168.
Our Rosebowl Hockey team also had a very successful campaign. The girls went into the final undefeated and succeeded in beating Wesley College 5-0.
We finished Semester 1 with our Women's 7's team playing in the final that preceded the Rawson Rugby Final. They defeated St John's College 39-0.
Annie Miller (Fr 2018)
Rosebowl Representative 2021







On my 18th birthday, my Dad took me out to the pub for a beer. Like most guys do. A cold schooner of VB to celebrate that I was officially a man. As we walked up to the bar, I nervously clutched my freshly printed ID. Expectantly, my Dad turned to me, waiting to hear which poison I would pick.
Waiting to hear the phrase, “just a schooner of… please mate”.
I piped up… “A vodka raspberry please… double shot”.
A cold glass of raspberry cordial and Smirnoff vodka. He was taken aback by my enthusiasm. It was a decision met with a few uneasy comments and peculiar questions from the other men in my life.
“Oh… You better get comfortable sculling a beer, it’s a rite of passage as a bloke.”
Or, “Don’t you think your mates would care?”
And, “you know you can’t drink a vodka raspberry on your wedding day, right?”
My simple response is why not?
Australia is obsessed with constructing and directing a societal ‘play’ where men are forced to perform a narrow and hypermasculine role. A role that is so fragile, its very existence is threatened by a simple vodka raspberry. Perhaps, it is a major concern that Australian men are far too comfortable drinking beer, and not comfortable enough drinking a vodka raspberry. But this is not exclusive to vodka raspberries.
As Australian men, we’re extremely comfortable sharing the weekend's footy highlights on our Instagram stories, but can’t be arsed when it comes to much needed social activism.
We banter for hours about God-knows-what, but we become uncomfortable when the topic becomes serious or emotionally sensitive.
And most of us men will claim to be feminists, but refuse to hold our mates, our brothers, and our fathers accountable for their misogyny.
It’s an issue that rests at the core of toxic masculinity. Men are immersed in the performance of a hypermasculine and harmful characterisation. Chained to a disguise they are unable to escape from. Constrained by a vow of silence that mitigates any avenues for authentic conversation and, shackled by a society that offers no avenue for recourse.
It begins at a young age with gendered propaganda in the form of Disney movies and Barbie dolls. Slowly but gradually society builds, instils, and entrenches a simple yet misogynistic narrative. One that claims, the feminine is weak and men are strong, and that as a man you ought not to be weak, and hence, the feminine man is no longer a man.
He has been metaphorically castrated.
It is a narrative where men must simultaneously sexually lust for women and attain their affection, yet also present disgust, disdain, and reject the feminine qualities of their own character. A toxic contradiction that has toxic implications.
It leaves men with two choices: to reject feminine characteristics in themselves and perform with a mask of masculinity, or to embrace the qualities that society arbitrarily deems to be feminine. Both can be equally damaging and degrading.
Men become robotic, when they reject the feminine characteristics within themselves.
The stereotypical masculine hate towards the feminine demonises men who are in touch with their emotions. It forces men into a vow of silence and creates an inability to speak out or openly against personal issues in the fear of being perceived as weak.
As a result, men must suffer in silence. It is the reason 7 out of 9 suicides committed are committed by men (Lifeline). The reason why 1 in 5 men will experience anxiety at some point in their lives, and it is the reason why 1 in 8 men will suffer with depression, in silence (Lifeline). The fundamental cause for this is that men are forced to perform a role within society that dictates before they are human, they must first be men.
These are the robotic men. Australia’s male mental health crisis begins when men are denied the emotional capacity required to function and engage in substantial and adequate discussions about mental wellbeing.
But whilst these men are the victim, they are also the perpetrator. Men do not just keep silent about their own issues. Unfortunately, they adopt a vow of silence that encourages and upholds the endemic sexism and misogyny of our context. A vow of silence that stops men speaking up against their mates, against their brothers, and against their fathers, whether it be against a small misogynistic comment at the pub on the weekend, or an assault.
It is a silence that is only broken to defend the sexism of other men. So much so, that when women have the courage to speak out against the torrents of abuse that are endemic to this country, we so too often only hear the broken record proclaim that: boys will be boys, it’s just banter, and that if he’s mean to you it’s probably because he likes you. It allows and perpetuates the culture of violence, the culture of rape, and the culture of domestic abuse, that is prevalent in this country.
And these men are far too comfortable with it.
We constantly hear the facts. That 1 in 5 women have experienced sexual assault since the age of 16 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare). That 1 woman will die at the hands of her partner every week this year, and yet these men are far too comfortable doing nothing about it (AIHW). A pattern of abuse emerges where these men understand the fact but doing nothing about them. Do nothing about it when their mates, and when their brothers, and when their fathers, objectify, demean, and assault the women in their lives.
Instead, we are left with fragile egos inside the bodies of fragile men. Fragile men who wear a mask of masculinity that not only harms themselves. But the women in their lives too.
So what is the solution? This cannot be solved by any one organisation or institution or day. This is on our shoulders. On the shoulders of men who must understand these are not abstract or intellectual ideas from a faraway land. These are real men, your fathers, your brothers, your mates, who suffer in silence.
And these are the real men who hurt real women. Who hurt your sisters, your mothers, your friends, your partners.
Women who before anything else are people. Who deserve the ability to walk down the street. Or into their workplace. Or into Parliament without the fear of becoming the next target, the next headline, or the next victim of sexual assault.
The man who is too scared of what his mates will think to order a vodka raspberry at the pub on a night out, isn’t brave enough to engage in meaningful and authentic conversations about mental health, he’s not confident enough to adequately support the women in his life, and he’s not strong enough to call out his mates on their misogyny.
So next time you’re in the line at the pub, order yourself a vodka raspberry and listen to the conversations around you, and when you hear the objectification, when you hear the demeaning words, when you hear the sexist remarks and when you hear the misogyny, that is all too common. Say something. Hold your mates accountable.
Don’t let the women in your life suffer because of your silence.
Edward Goodman (Fr 2021) Alexander Malouf (Fr 2021) Winners of the St Andrew's College Collaborative Writing Competition
This piece is the winning entry for the 2021 Collaborative Writing Competition, run by the Editor of Drew’s News, Kiran Gupta. The only requirements for entry were to submit a creative writing piece between 1,000 – 2,000 words by the set deadline. The entries were judged by a panel consisting of; Ashley Gray (Fr 1985), sports writer and subeditor, Amala Groom, Wiradyuri conceptual artist and St Andrew’s College 2021 Artist in Residence, Wayne Erickson, Principal, Alex Wright, Head of Art & Social Sciences and Kiran Gupta, Editor, Drew’s News.
You can read other student-written blog pieces from the year so far at: www.drewsnews.org

Freeman Lam has been working at St Andrew’s College for over 13 years and is one of the key individuals responsible for keeping everyone at College fed! Dr Sarah Penicka-Smith has been on staff for a decade now, and during this time she has been vital to the development of the Music and Creative Arts Program at St Andrew’s. We caught up with them recently and asked about their time at College and what they get up to outside of work.
What is your role here at St Andrew’s?
Freeman: I am the Food & Beverage Manager for the College. I manage 10 full time staff and up to 20 casual staff in order to service the College. There are about 500 events that occur throughout the year ranging from daily food service, meetings and events.
Sarah: I am the Head of Creative Arts for the College. I started as Director of Music and changed position this year.
How has St Andrew’s changed in that time?
F: A major change came when we went from 300 to 400 students requiring us to cater for an extra 100 people on a daily basis.
S: Increasing our Arts’ student intake has made a major difference to diversifying the College culture, as many creative arts scholars come from different demographics

and have very different life experiences. When I started, we had a choir with eight choral scholars, and three or four instrumental scholars. Now we have a choir of around 20 singers including 11 scholars, 15 instrumental scholars, a jazz band, a chamber string ensemble, and many other occasional ensembles and projects.
What is your favourite part about working for St Andrew’s?
F: My favourite part about working for St Andrew’s is my loyal Food & Beverage Team members.
S: I’m a big believer in art being able to improve people’s everyday lives, and to create cultural change in a way that opens people up to discussion, rather than shutting them down. Cultural change is the focus of pretty much all my work, so I love the challenge of working in an environment where that’s a priority.
What aspect of your role do you like the most?
F: It was probably at the beginning of the year when I saw over 100 new student faces.
S: Watching the amazing directions students take when they realise they have more potential and more choices than they thought.
What are some of the challenges?
F: Serving food and beverages to the marquees that have had to be erected on the oval due to COVID-19. The first event had 300 people, this then grew to 400 people for the Highland Ball and then 500 for the most recent Mother’s Day Dinner!
S: Same as for any musician - getting students to practice!!
What is your proudest moment at St Andrew’s?
F: Successfully producing the food and beverages for the Valedictory Dinner in the marquee last year.
S: Being invited to be a mentor to the Intercol LGBTQI+ Network, along with my wife, Mel.
What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?
F: I have been in the hospitality industry for over 40 years. I might work for a 5 star hotel in Sydney or another College like St Andrew’s as a chef.
S: Same thing - except overseas.
What was the last book you read/movie you watched?
F: Godzilla vs. Kong
S: Adam Stout’s ‘Glastonbury Holy Thorn - Story of a Legend’ - in a past life my academic focus was ethnobotany, and I still review books for religious studies journals.
Can you tell us something most people don’t know about you/something that would surprise us?
F: I was a part-time photographer when I was a chef in the 80’s.
S: My sister Rachel is the only non-musician in the family. She went from being a jillaroo in far North Queensland to agisting horses on a property near Toowoomba with her family. It’s one of my favourite places to visit.
What did you do before you came to St Andrew’s?
F: I used to work for the American Club Hong Kong as an Executive Chef with 200 Food & Beverage staff, serving over 3000 members.
S: I had just finished my PhD, and was working with the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir and Willoughby Symphony.
Favourite college meal? What makes you get to the Dining Hall early!
F: Slow Roasted Baby Lamb Shank Frenched with Red Wine Reduction.
S: Sushi. Can’t believe anyone has the patience to handmake it.
What do you do in your spare time outside of work?
F: Listening to my stereo in my studio room.
S: My wife and I have an arts and event management
company. Currently for that, I’m co-writing a libretto for a one-woman opera about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. We also started learning Italian together, we garden, and we have several high maintenance pets.
Any words of advice for students?
F: My team and I always try to serve the best food possible. Please be good to my staff.
S: Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you have to have yourself all figured out by the age of twenty.
If you were stuck on an island, what three things would you bring?
F: Drinking water, a knife and being able to cook.
S: Sense of humour, sense of wonder, single malt whiskey.
We thank Freeman and Sarah for taking the time out of their busy schedules to have a chat to us and for all that they do for the College.


We are delighted to introduce our community to the leaders of our new academic faculties: Dr Christopher Roche (Head of STEM), Sapna Kumar (Head of Business), Ben Adler (Head of Musicology) and Alex Wright (Head of Arts & Social Sciences).
Chris Roche, MA, MBBS, MRCS
Chris Roche is a cardiothoracic surgeon who came from the UK to do a PhD at Sydney University and UTS. His research is focused on generating heart patches to repair heart muscle. These patches are fabricated with a 3D bioprinter which deposits cells in “bio-inks” made from gels. The patches are then transplanted to the surface of the heart. He is in his PhD final year and has been tutoring at St Andrew’s for two years, becoming head of the STEM Faculty this year. He has mentored many College students, is involved in UTS’ Humanitarian mentoring programme and is the founder of Underdogmentoring.com.
Sapna Khiani Kumar, MBA, Masters (HRM)
Sapna has over ten years of experience in the human resource and quality management domain in Australia. Prior to moving to Australia, she lived and worked in India, the USA and Italy. She has an MBA from India and a Masters in Human Resource Management from The University of Sydney Business School. Her areas of expertise include quality management, change management, leadership development, and market research. Sapna is currently head of the Business Faculty at St Andrew’s College. She also teaches a range of courses at The University of Sydney and Macquarie University. She is involved in mentoring and coaching students.
Ben Adler, B.Mus (Perf)
Violinist, composer and published musicologist, Ben is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he lectured in Harmony & Analysis and Aural Perception. Ben began tutoring and mentoring College music students as College Artist in Residence for 2019-2020. Ben has toured nationally as both section member and soloist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. He also toured Australia and Europe as first violinist of the Hillel String Quartet, and with pianist Will Cesta. He now leads the Ben Adler Quartet. Additionally, Ben is a founding member of the klezmer fusion band CHUTNEY, and plays with gypsy band Monsieur Camembert.
Alexander Wright, BA (Hons I)
Alex is an MPhil research student at the University of Sydney where he specialises in the early Renaissance cultural and intellectual history of Italy. His current project analyses landscapes to trace the connections between gender, politics, and emerging intellectual movements in the everyday lives of fifteenth century Italians. Alex also maintains an interest in the afterlife of Classical Latin literature between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. A travel bursary enabled him to spend five weeks in Greece studying the connections between ancient and medieval history. In addition to his research, Alex is also the Acting Archivist at St Andrew’s College.
Image: (L-R) Chris, Sapna, Ben & Alex.

St Andrew’s College is very pleased to announce that Wiradyuri conceptual artist Amala Groom is our Artist in Residence for 2021. Amala is a solo practitioner who works with her family, community and extensive economic, cultural, political, legal and social networks to inform, lead and drive her practice. She is currently Artist in Residence with the University of Technology and the Sydney Observatory, where her projects include research and development for her new moving work, ‘The Proposal’.
Amala’s work is a form of passionate activism, presenting acute and incisive commentary on contemporary socio-political issues. Informed by extensive archival, legislative and first-person research, her work is socially engaged, speaking truth to take a stand against hypocrisy, prejudice, violence and injustice.
In 2020 Amala won the Wyndham Art Prize with her work 'Copywrong' and in 2019, 'The Union' became the first Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander work to be acquired by the Deutsche Bank Collection. Her work is widely awarded, collected and curated into national exhibits.
As well as working on ‘The Proposal’, Amala’s Andrew’s residency will include developing a mentoring program both for creative artists at College, and for a select number of emerging artists from the wider community as well. Amala is excited to be joining us as our newest artist at St Andrew’s College and we are thrilled to learn from her wealth of creative talent and substantial experience as a professional artist.
“As a regionally based artist, I am thrilled to be awarded the St Andrew's Artist in Residence Program. Space for artists in Sydney is rare and this is a fantastic opportunity for myself on both a personal and professional level. I greatly look forward to being part of St Andrew's College in engaging with students, staff and the greater community both creatively and socially.”
- Amala Groom, Artist in Residence


1 Amala GROOM
one and the same, 2018
Epson ultra chrome pigment on Ilford Gold Fibre Gloss 310gsm
100 x 89.04
Edition of 10 +1AP Courtesy of the artist.
2 Amala GROOM
dhaagun ngiyanhigin.gu nganhundhi (the land owns me), 2018
Epson ultra chrome pigment on Canson Photographique 100% cotton rag
114 x 169 x 5cm
Edition of 10 + 1AP Courtesy of the artist.
Work continues on our Public Art Project – BECOME THE PART. Construction has commenced on the 10m long steel plated sculpture that forms a major component of the Carillon Ave and Missenden Road corner boundary project. The sculpture (pictured below), has been designed by Michael Snape and Agatha Gothe-Snape in collaboration with FJMT Architects who wanted to produce a unique piece of “public art and landscape architecture that inverts the sense of enclosure and social cloistering the current courtyard evokes”.
Our project managers, Spectrum Property & Projects have been working closely with Michael and Agatha, our landscape architects (FJMT Architects) and other consultants to ensure the design and accompanying garden elements achieve a cohesive space that complement the artwork being created.
Since announcing the Public Art Project last year, Michael Snape was named as a finalist in the 2021 Archibald Prize Competition. The portrait of his ‘good friend and art dealer’ Stuart Purves was one of 52 entries that were exhibited at the Art Gallery of NSW. For the first time, there was gender parity for artists selected as Archibald finalists: 26 women and 26 men.
We hope to provide you with a further update on the project in the second half of the year. For further information or to support this project please contact the College.
Ian Smith Director of Operations


In 2022, we will celebrate 20 years of undergraduate women in St Andrew’s College. Women have lived in St Andrew’s College since its early days. However, they were not student members or members of the JCR or SCR. They were staff, family of staff, family of benefactors, or benefactors in their own right, e.g. Janet Coutts, who in 1914 donated £19,000 (nearly $2 million today) to the College to fund scholarships and bursaries.
St Andrew’s College is an old College. In its lifetime there have been enormous changes in Australian society with greater equity and more diverse roles for women. However, the issues of gender pay gap, imbalance in unpaid work, violence against women, and limited representation at the highest levels of business, community and government remain unresolved.
St Andrew’s was also slow to change in many ways. It wasn’t until the 11th November 2001 that College Council agreed to make the College fully co-residential (100 years after non-indigenous women got the right to vote in Australia. Indigenous women had to wait another 57 years for their right to vote). Fifty-five undergraduate women were admitted to College in 2002 and we haven’t looked back since.
Our community is undeniably stronger as a result of the admission of women to College. Andrew’s women have
performed exceptionally well in all areas of College over the last 20 years; on the sports field (winning the Rosebowl cup more times than all the other colleges put together), in performing arts, in leadership roles and academically. Women and men together have created the strong inclusive community that we have today at St Andrew's.
Today we see equal representation of men and women on the Students' Club elected House Committee and increasing numbers of women on this committee’s Senior Executive, including in the role of Senior Student. It’s true, there is more to do to ensure equal representation within our College and we are up for the challenge.
We want to celebrate the incredible women in our community, the strength of co-residency and celebrate the 20 year journey of undergraduate women on the road toward equity, diversity and inclusivity. We are planning an array of events, activities and communications to mark this important milestone in the cultural development and maturation of College. If you would like to be involved, please get in contact with the Advancement Team via: E: alumni@standrewscollege.edu.au | T: + 61 2 9565 7302.
Dr Hester Wilson Vice Principal
During the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games we will be cheering on some of our very own alumni. We met up with three of our best to find out how they’re feeling in the lead up to the Games. You can read the full interviews on our website.
23-year-old Rohan (Fr 2016) is the first Australian male to qualify for the 100M sprint since 2004. He is currently the fastest man in Australia and the third fastest of all time. Rohan is studying for a Bachelor of Laws.
How did you feel when you received the call up for the Olympic team?
I felt relief above all else. Not a day has gone by since I was sixteen that I haven’t used the Olympics as a rudder to guide and motivate my day-to-day happenings. I came into Drew’s with my eye on the 2016 Olympic Games but I was injured that year and wasn’t able to qualify. Consequently, I doubled down on training to try and make up for lost time. It’s not always easy to juggle high level sport with the vivacious social life College offers. With hindsight, now that I’ve finally made the Olympics, I would not have achieved this without the perspective on life and balance that I gained during my College years.
Did your time at St Andrew's help your sporting career?
I was accepted into Drew’s to study Arts/Law at Sydney and I decided that I’d prefer to remain in the city so I could stay with my high school coach Andrew Murphy, who is my coach to this day. Drew’s made it possible for me to import the US style sport/education system to my hometown. It helped me mature as a young man, living out of home with just the right amount of support. Elite sport can be such a parochial bubble and it’s hard to get any outside perspective when you’re inside the echo chamber.
The social life that Drew’s delivered gave me perspective on balance and taught me the importance of approaching sport in a playful way, even at the most crucial, career defining junctions and in the face of both triumph and disaster. I met my closest mates there, a few of whom I currently live with. I’ll always look back on my college years fondly, I think they will remain some of the most formative years of my life.

Jaime (Fr 2013) is selected to compete in the women’s 49erFX class with crewmate Tess Lloyd. In Rio 2016, Jaime placed 15th overall in the women’s 470 event with sailing partner Carrie Smith. She currently sails at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club.
How did you feel when you received the call up?
It was probably relief initially, after such a long, tight selection process, to know that we had finally made it! The excitement came a little later, when I shared the news, and it really started to sink in.
How do you think Tokyo 2021 will compare to Rio 2016?
Tokyo was already going to be totally different to Rio, just by nature of the different cultures of each country. Now, we know that the Tokyo Games will have a lot more restrictions and a lot less of the bigger Games excitement going on around us. There’s been a huge amount of work to create a safe Games for the athletes and everyone involved. Fortunately, sailing isn’t the biggest spectator sport to begin with, and once we get out on the water we will be operating as usual!
What first attracted you to sailing?
I grew up around the water on Lake Macquarie, and spent lots of time on boats with my family. I think the independence that sailing offers you as a child is pretty unique, from a young age you are in charge of this little boat all by yourself,

and can be out racing for hours at a time. It was a lot of fun, and the communities that formed around the time on the water has been a big part of it too.
Did your time at St Andrew’s help your sporting career?
Students were so passionate, and so supportive of each other, the collective drive and energy was something really special. The College really supported my dual pursuit of study and sport, and I think that balance is something that has been really key in helping me to continue competing for longer, and pursuing my goals in both. The competitive spirit I witnessed at some of the Rosebowl and Rawson competitions could match that of the Olympic finals I think!
HANNAH BUCKLING
Hannah (Fr 2010) is a member of the ‘Aussie Stingers’. This year she was awarded the SUSF Sportswoman of the Year award for both her sporting achievements and her willingness to encourage and teach younger players. Hannah is studying a medical degree at the University of Sydney.
How do you think Tokyo 2021 will compare to Rio 2016?
Tokyo Olympics will be a unique one with challenges of maintaining COVID-safe practices. We have also not had the opportunity to play international games in over a year, so it is hard to predict where we stand on the international stage. We have been training hard and making strides as a team, and we are looking forward to rising to all the challenges that Tokyo presents. I also believe that these challenges highlight the honour of representing your country at an Olympic Games.
Did your time at St Andrew’s help your sporting career? College was an incredible support for me during my undergraduate degree. It provided an environment that supported the pursuit of both sporting and academic goals and facilitated a well-rounded university experience. It enabled me to play the sport I love while remaining involved in the other aspects of my life and made finding a balance easy.
Most memorable St Andrew’s moment?
Winning my first Rosebowl Swimming competition. This was my first experience of Drew’s sporting culture and it was such an amazing feeling to have the whole College supporting us and surrounding the team to sing the St Andrew’s chant. It is a wonderful environment to be a part of, and it was the best place to call home for three years.
How do you juggle studies with sport?
I have to be extremely organised and driven in pursuing both goals. Ultimately if you are passionate about what you are doing it makes finding time to dedicate to achieving those dreams a lot easier!


This year, Sydney celebrates the centenary of the Archibald Prize. St Andrew’s College congratulates the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW) on 100 years of hanging great, sometimes controversial, Australian portraits.
In the first fifty years of the Prize when the category of ‘distinguished Australians’ was more restrictively defined, many College people were the subjects of Archibald Prize finalists. Among them are the Premier Sir George Fuller in 1922, industrialist Andrew Thyne Reid in 1935, and theologian Revd. Dr R.G. Macintyre in 1942. St Andrew’s is also fortunate to retain two Prize finalists in our collections by the prolific Reginald Jerrold-Nathan and Jean de Courtney Isherwood.
The Archibald Prize was first awarded in 1921, funded by a bequest from the publisher and journalist, J.F. Archibald. Ironically for the founder of a great portrait prize and in spite of his prominence, J. F. Archibald shunned the public spotlight. He disliked having his photograph taken and the AGNSW’s only painting of him was made posthumously.
Although he was born John Feltham to Irish parents in Geelong in 1856, Archibald later changed his name to Jules François since the Anglophone appellation of his birth was inadequately bohemian. A French je ne sais quoi seemed better suited to Melbourne’s literary scene.
With the benefit of this Ovidian transformation, Archibald went on to establish the Bulletin magazine in 1880 which published such writers as Henry Lawson and ‘Banjo’ Patterson. He was co-owner and had editorial control of the magazine during the period when its poetry, satire and political commentary led the national conversation. In his will, Archibald made two bequests, firstly to create the Archibald Fountain in Sydney’s Hyde Park on the condition that a French sculptor be commissioned, and secondly to endow a prize of portraiture.
It is partly down to the prestige of the Prize that St Andrew’s now has two distinguished portraits of College Fellow and Professor of New Testament Exegesis, the Revd. Dr Samuel Angus, and Principal, the Revd. Alan Dougan.

Professor Angus was one of Sydney’s leading intellectuals and among the College’s foremost Fellows from 1915 to his death in 1943. He is best known as another of our suspected heretics. An expert on ancient mystery religions, Angus was a Professor in the College’s Theological Hall where he taught and wrote with great originality and independence. Indeed, his progressive ideas about the Trinity and refusal to believe in the divine inspiration of the Bible led to a long and cruel heresy trial which he bore with grace. Angus also served on College Council. His restrained portrait by Reginald JerroldNathan hung in the Archibald in 1933 and now monitors the quality of conversation in the Senior Common Room.
Revd. Dougan (r.1957—1974) was the College’s seventh Principal and the first to have been a student here. Known for his steady leadership and gleaming monocle, Dougan presided over a period of expansion for the College culminating in the Nosworthy Dining Hall in 1960 and Thyne Building in 1966. With an acute eye for history, it is Dougan who we may thank for the completeness of our series of Principals’ portraits since no painting had been made of Revd. Dr Anderson after he retired in 1937. When Dougan sat for Jean de Courtney Isherwood in 1962, he arranged for the artist to paint his predecessor from a photograph. Isherwood’s portrait of Dougan in oils hung in the 1963 Archibald and now serenely superintends student activities in the Dining Hall which Dougan built.
Although not finalists for the Prize itself, most of the artists who have painted Principals have at other times been hung in the Archibald. Judy Cassab created a fine portrait of Professor John MacIntyre in 1956, Frank Hodgkinson painted Revd Dr Hugh Cairns, and Francis Giacco painted both Principal Paton and College Fellow Stephen Salsbury.
Thanks to the generosity of friends, St Andrew’s is also proud to hang Peter Churcher’s colossal 2006 Archibald finalist ‘Bruce, Linde and me on the road to Guadelupe’. This densely populated painting invites allegorical speculation in a way that is entirely worthy of its place of honour above the mantelpiece of the Senior Common Room. Churcher’s monumental painting is on loan to the College and we are deeply grateful to its owners for sharing this artwork with us.
The founders of the College believed it was their responsibility to foster ‘a due appreciation of the sublime and beautiful in art and nature’ rather than merely to produce ‘clever business men’. In fulfilment of this duty, the College has at enlightened moments added fine works of art to our collections for the contemplation, enjoyment and improvement of students and fellows alike. We are currently the custodians of paintings by many distinguished artists, including John Ruskin, Grace Cossington-Smith, Ray Crooke, Willie Junari, Paul Newton, and a sculpture by Michael Snape and Agatha Gothe-Snape which is soon to be installed at the south-western corner of the grounds.
Alex Wright
(Fr 2015)
Head of Arts & Social Sciences


Sophie Payten (Fr 2012) is the singer songwriter we know today as Gordi. Since her time at St Andrew’s she has gone on to receive national recognition; she has been nominated for the ARIA Music Awards, Australian Music Prize, various J Awards and has won the Australian Women in Music Songwriter Award. Some of her music has featured on various television series around the world and she has toured with international artists such as Bon Iver, Of Monsters and Men and Ásgeir. Sophie is now focusing on her music career but still works casually as a doctor in hospitals around Melbourne.
Please tell us a bit more about yourself - where are you originally from and where did you grow up?
I grew up on a farm outside of a town called Canowindra. My family have lived on it for over 100 years. I went away to boarding school for my high-school education in Sydney and then completed a medical degree at UNSW.
Why did you choose to reside at St Andrew’s College?
One of the things I had loved about school was the extra-curricular stuff – sports, choirs, drama – basically anything I could fit in to my life I pursued. I felt that Drew’s was an extension of that because it offered a lot more than just somewhere to stay while you went to uni.
What parts of college life were you involved in (besides the obvious being music)?
I was in the soccer, hockey, athletics and rowing teams, I was in the choir and some of the Palladian drama performances. And I participated in what we used to refer to as the “social glue” activities.
Tell us a bit more about Gordi and how you came up with the name?!
Gordi is what my brother called me when I was young – we have no idea why. At the end of my first year of uni I wanted to start playing gigs – I played my first one at the Tempe Valve Bar which I conned a lot of my college friends to attend. A while later I played an official launch as ‘Gordi’ at the Vanguard up on King St and it started to (very slowly) snowball.
What were your motivations for getting into the music industry?
I just wanted to write songs and play gigs.
What are some of the challenges? And the best bits? The challenges are numerous. For a long time it feels like a very expensive hobby, which when you’re living on youth allowance is a pretty massive battle. There are the physical challenges – being cramped in a tiny van for months on end driving around Europe and the US, staying in crummy motels and living on truck stop food.
There are the mental battles – feeling not good enough, wondering whether what you’re doing is important. But the best bits are completely unparalleled. The best moments of my life have been because of music. I’ve met my heroes and seen the world, I’ve looked out at a sea of people singing words back to me that I wrote sitting on my bed.
Do you have any advice for people wanting to break into the music industry?
Work out what you can do that no one else can and develop that skill like you’re practicing for an elite sporting event. Go to gigs, listen to lots of music. Read about artists you admire and look at how their journey evolved – who helped them get where they wanted to go. Then map out something similar for yourself.
Understandably COVID-19 provided you with some challenges in 2020, what have you got planned for 2021? At the moment I’m doing lots of songwriting – for myself, for films, for other artists. I’m working casually as a locum doctor in hospitals around Melbourne and I’m studying a Masters of Public Health. Basically my plan for 2021 is to try and keep all the burners on.
During your time in medical practice did you specialise in a particular area? If so, why?
I haven’t specialised. That’s really the biggest sacrifice I’ve had to make for my music career – I’ve done enough training so that I can work as a resident doctor across any specialty within a hospital. For where I’m at in my life now, it is the most flexible path. I’m sure that will change over time and eventually I’ll pick something to specialize in, but I’m in no hurry to do so.
Can you share your experiences as a practicing medical professional during the COVID-19 pandemic?
It is was pretty overwhelming in Melbourne – nothing like what people experienced around the world – but we had significant staff shortages and I was often thrust into a ward with no superiors and a lot of sick patients. The idea that I might take the virus home with me was the most difficult aspect.
How did you find balancing a heavy course load alongside your creative pursuits? Are there any key tips you would give to people?
It was definitely not an easy journey and I’ve no doubt pursuing music drove down my university grades. You have to spend a lot of time planning your time, you have to think about your life as a series of projects and give all of yourself
to each project as it comes along – for me it would be a tour, then an assignment, then recording an album, then sitting an exam. I think when you have two major pursuits in life, they have to be like tides moving in and out because if both were constant it would probably be unsustainable.
What are you reading/ watching or listening to at the moment that you’d recommend?
I just read ‘Sorrow and Bliss’, which I loved. I’m watching ‘Parks and Recreation’ because it’s hilarious. I’m really into a record called ‘Hannah’ by an artist ‘Lomelda’ that came out recently.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I spend time with my family and friends. They keep me leveled out and remind me to enjoy life and not be so serious all the time.



Glenn Kable (Fr 1981) is both a Firearms Solicitor with Hartmann & Associates and an internationally recognised Trap Shooter, having competed for Fiji at four Olympic Games. Glenn shares how he came to compete for Fiji, the preparation and advice he would give to other athletes and how he came to be in the very niche market of firearms law.
Please tell us a bit more about yourself - where are you originally from and where did you grow up?
I grew up in the lower Blue Mountains, at a little place called Grose Vale on 50 acres.
Why did you choose to reside at St Andrew’s College?
My mother booked me for interviews at Drew’s and Paul’s. Drew’s was first and the Principal accepted me and I saw no reason for any further interviews.
What parts of college life were you involved in?
Mostly the sport, rugby, rowing and a little bit of athletics. I was also on the Formal and Informal sub committees, was on the House committee in my last year, and Professor of Physio-dynamics (Fresher Education).
What led you to start shooting as a sport and why did you choose to specialise in the trap event?
Both my father and uncle were heavily involved in the sport,
and I spent much of my junior years travelling to clubs. Both specialised in the trap event.
Can you tell us a bit about how you came to compete for Fiji, rather than Australia?
I shot for Australia up to the 2000 Olympics, being a member of the 3-man team that won the World Championship in 1999. In the lead up to the Sydney Olympics I was in first place after the two selection events, ahead of Michael Diamond, yet was not selected in either of the two spots in my event, nor considered for a ‘wild card’ extra spot.
Given my family’s long association with Fiji, and the time I had been spending there, I offered to establish the Shooting Association of Fiji, which was enthusiastically accepted, and they offered me a place on the next Olympic team, if I was to represent them. I accepted.
You have been to the Olympics four times and competed in various other competitions such as the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Pacific Games. Could you tell us how you prepare for each of these events? Is there anything you do differently?
The more you participate in these events the more you adapt the preparation to bring about your best. Whether it is the experience gained through exposure, or from advice provided along the way, my preparation now is arrive early to an event, partake in enough practise to familiarise yourself
with the prevailing conditions, such as background, weather, light conditions and equipment used (the throwing machines and targets). Be well rested and confident in your technique. Remove yourself from potential issues, so ensure that you have adequate ammunition, enroll early, ensure transport is sufficient, and that there is nothing that can distract you in the lead up.
Do you have any advice for your fellow Olympians heading to Tokyo later this year and aspiring future Olympians?
Don’t be overawed by the ‘Show’, it is just another event. Follow the preparations from the previous question and take yourself out of harm's way.
Do you think you’ll ever fully retire from your sport?
I don’t think so, I still have something to offer the sport, and it is a sport that does not have an age limit. There are plenty of competitors still going well into their 80’s.
You specialise in firearms law, which aligns very closely with your chosen Olympic sport. How did you balance your career with your sporting goals? Does your shooting knowledge and expertise assist you with your career and vice versa?
It is sometimes difficult, as full-time employment takes time away from practising and competing. My shooting knowledge certainly assists with my career, but not the other way, as my career does not assist my shooting.
Do you have any advice for students studying law?
I found a very niche market in an under-represented area of law, being a specialist in firearm law, which while an area of criminal law, focuses on the firearms laws across Australia, which is the second largest user of ammunition in the world, and therefore has a vast potential client base. I advertise in the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia magazine, which is distributed to about 200,000 firearm owners monthly, and hardly a day goes by without a new inquiry of some sort.
What are you reading/ watching or listening to at the moment that you’d recommend?
There is nothing specifically, I have a wide range of interests for all three, reading/watching/listening, and tend to jump around a bit. I am still drawn to sport, regardless of the type.
What do you like to do outside of work (besides shooting)?
Catching up with my old Drew’s mates! Which I do regularly, otherwise not much time for anything else. I am still on the world shooting circuit, have too much work and I have an
11 year old at Tudor House attempting to become a second generation Drew’s man (person).
Do you have any words of advice for young Androvians?
From what I have seen of the academic record of the current generation at College, they could probably provide words of advice to me... though, from a worldly experience point of view, my recollections from my College days were that I was struggling to find my rightful place in society. I was not sure law was the right fit for me, and I lacked the confidantes to be able to discuss this. For years I ambled through life building experiences, but was never really satisfied, that may have made me the competitor it did, but certainly delayed my participation towards finding financial security and stability.
Glenn has continued to be involved in College life, speaking at the 1867 Circle Lunch in 2020 alongside fellow athletes and more recently became a Highlander Club Member.





On Friday 26th March, St Andrew’s College welcomed more than 200 parents of current students to the Annual Parents’ Cocktail Evening. The event provided an opportunity for new and returning parents to meet one another and hear from the Principal, Wayne Erickson, Chair of Council, Charlie Taylor, Senior Student, Digby Cooke and current parent Marnie Coulton. We would like to thank all those who attended and hope you had an enjoyable evening. Photos from the night can be found on the College’s Facebook page. If you would like more information about the College’s events, please contact the Advancement Office: E: alumni@standrewscollege.edu.au | T:
We welcomed the 1954 Freshers back to College on Monday 29th March for their annual reunion lunch. The group of 10 dined in the Senior Common Room where they were able to reminisce about their time at College and catch-up on life events that had occurred since they last saw one another. The group also heard from the Principal, Wayne Erickson, who provided an update on the College and key developments that had occurred throughout the year. If your fresher cohort would like to organise a reunion at the College, please contact the Advancement Office: E: alumni@standrewscollege.edu.au | T: + 61 2 9565 7302
The Young Alumni Committee organised a social evening at Verandah Bar, in the Sydney CBD for freshers from 2001 – 2020 on Thursday 29th April. Close to 100 past students mingled whilst being treated to canapés and a selection of beverages. It was a lively evening with new and old friends coming together to catch-up and network with their fellow alumni. We extend our thanks to the Alumni Society for sponsoring the event.
Stay tuned for more events that the Young Alumni Committee are currently organising for the remainder of the year.
On Saturday 8th May the College hosted 500 mothers, daughters and sons for the Annual Mother’s Day Dinner. There was phenomenal interest in the event this year, which resulted in a venue change and a marquee erected on the College’s own oval. On the night, guests had the opportunity to hear from guest speaker, Alexia Newsome from the Full Stop Foundation, an organisation that raises funds to resource the work of Rape & Domestic Violence Services Australia. The Students' Club were able to raise $1,500 to donate to the Full Stop Foundation. We hope all who attended had an enjoyable evening. We look forward to hosting the Father’s Day Dinner on Saturday 4th September.
The Drew’s men and women took the field for the Women’s 7’s Finals and the Rawson Rugby Finals with a huge crowd watching. Our women’s team were successful in defeating St John’s College 39 – 0. Following this, our men’s team took the pitch to compete against St Paul’s College. They were victorious in retaining the Rawson Cup for a second year in a row defeating Paul’s 45 – 10. We would like to thank the Alumni Society for supporting the event and all the spectators that came to show their support for both teams! Our next big sporting event will be the Rosebowl Soccer Finals on Wednesday 25th August.
We have held two Industry Networking Events that form part of our Professional Development Program. The first event was held on Thursday 27th April and focused on Law, whilst the second event was held on Thursday 6th May and concentrated on Finance and Professional Services. Young alumni attended who were interested in providing support and guidance to current students who are studying or interested in pursuing careers in these industries. We would like to thank all of our alumni who attended. If you are interested in participating in the Professional Development Program or attending another Industry Networking event, please get in touch with the Advancement Team via: E: alumni@standrewscollege.edu.au | T: + 61 2 9565 7302.




The Alumni Society Committee held a productive planning half day at the College in February with the help of an external facilitator. The day was attended by representatives from the College, Council, Foundation, Staff and Students' Club. A number of initiatives from that day are being actively fleshed out, including a more formal mentoring program for students and recent alumni. We will be communicating further about these initiatives shortly. Thank you again to the participants who were involved in the planning half day.
The Alumni Society Annual Dinner returns this year and is scheduled for Saturday, 6th November 2021. This year's reunion dinner will be a little different and memorable in that it will be a 'double header' with the reunions for last year's postponed dinner also being held this year. It is likely that in order to accommodate increased numbers and meet COVID-19 restrictions, the dinner itself will be held in a marquee on the College Oval. We are currently working through the budget implications for this and hope to release further information and tickets very soon. Thank you to the reunion year organisers and table captains who have already put up their hands to help organise this dinner.
Accommodation will not be available at the College this year given an extension of the University Semester 2 calendar to 4th December 2021. However, in light of this, the Advancement Team has arranged alumni discounts for accommodation at nearby hotels.
The Golf Day will again be held on Friday, 5th November 2021 at Moore Park Golf Club. Tickets are currently available. To purchase them please visit the College website or contact the Advancement Team. We hope to see you there.
Council Elections were undertaken by electronic voting process this year for the first time and we are pleased to congratulate Stuart Niven (Fr 1984) and Leesa Ronald (nee Hamilton) (Fr 2006) on their successful election. Please note that being a member of the Alumni Society does not automatically mean you are entered on the Electoral Roll - a separate application must be made to the Secretary to the Council enclosing a copy of your graduation certificate. Please contact the College if you wish to be added to the
Electoral Roll for future Council Elections.
I would also like to thank the two Councillors who have recently retired. Both Adam Casselden SC (Fr 1990) and Campbell Hanan (Fr 1989, SS 1992) have made a number of valuable contributions to the College as Councillors and in Adam's case as a Alumni Society Committee member. Campbell was also a driving force behind the planning and construction of the new (spectacular) link building. Thank you Adam and Campbell.
Thanks to the continued generosity of our community, the Alumni Society Committee was able to award four Society Scholarships for 2021. Our Scholarships are awarded based largely on the recommendation of the Senior Student and are primarily awarded to senior leaders in the College who have contributed greatly to the life of the College. We do take into account alumni connections but that is not a pre-condition to receive a scholarship. The 2021 recipients are Annie Miller, Cara Skirrow, Laura Grant and Sai Subhanu Abbaraju. Keep an eye out for upcoming College e-newsletters, in which the recipients will share with us how they are involved in College life and how the scholarships have helped them.
We are also pleased to announce that we have been able to support our three Andrew's alumni headed to the Olympics with a small grant. We hope this contribution helps them on their way and wish them the best of luck.
A recent young alumni event was held in April at Verandah Bar. It has been good to recommence this type of social activity given the pause associated with COVID-19. Thank you to the Young Alumni Committee for their work in organising this event. Alumni, parents and guests were also welcomed to the Rawson Cup Rugby Finals in May and it was great to see such a huge turnout. We invite you to join us at the Rosebowl Soccer Finals in August. Upcoming SACAS event details are listed on the following page. We hope to see you at one of these.
Alex Rhydderch (Fr 1994,
SS 1997)
President of the Alumni Society



ROSEBOWL SOCCER FINALS
Wednesday 25th August 2021
Save the date in your calendar for an action packed evening cheering on our talented Rosebowl Soccer team in the final match of the season. The game will be held at The TAG Family Foundation Grandstand, No. 2 Oval at the University of Sydney. Alumni, parents and friends of the St Andrew's College community are welcome to attend.
This is a free event thanks to the St Andrew's Alumni Society. Further information and ticket registration details will be available closer to the event date.
SACAS ANNUAL GOLF DAY
Friday 5th November 2021
The SACAS Annual Golf Day will be held at Moore Park Golf Course again in 2021. Save the date and make plans to join us for a fun day filled with old and new friends alike. Tickets are on sale now and include 18 holes of golf, cart hire and a delicious buffet dinner with drinks to end the day. Registration and a light lunch will begin at 12.00pm with tee-off at 12.30pm. All alumni, parents and current students are invited to attend. To purchase your ticket please visit; https://events.humanitix.com/2021-sacas-annual-golfday or call +61 2 9565 7302.
SACAS ANNUAL DINNER
Saturday 6th November 2021
The Alumni Society Committee and Advancement Team are busily planning this year's double header event celebrating reunion years in 2020 & 2021! This black tie evening will consist of tours of the Thyne Reid Link Building and the AGM, to be followed by pre-drinks, canapés and dinner. We have been in touch with representatives from each fresher reunion year, but all alumni are welcome to attend. If you are interested in taking on a role as the Speaker, Piper or Carrier for the Ode to Haggis - please get in touch via: E: alumni@standrewscollege.edu.au | T: + 61 2 9565 7302.

In May we invited our Highlander Club members to the College for a bespoke whisky and gin tasting experience. The event was to celebrate the official launch of the Highlander Club, which was established to recognise those who have made significant philanthropic donations to the current campaign to Enable Access to St Andrew’s College.
We were pleased to be able to celebrate and acknowledge our existing Highlander Club members, as well as welcoming recently joined members. Highlanders heard a quick College update from Principal, Wayne Erickson, Chair of Foundation, Niall Cairns and Chair of Council, Charlie Taylor, before getting the chance to mingle with one another.
All Highlander Club Members are welcomed with a pair of cashmere scarves, made in Scotland in the College’s registered tartan. Attendees at the inaugural event also took home a commemorative Glencairn Whisky Glass engraved with the College Crest.
The evening was a welcome opportunity for members to meet each other, as well as trying a handpicked selection of Scottish and Australian gins and whiskies. You can find out more about the Highlander Club and how to join in the 2020 Annual Philanthropy Report.
1 Charlie Taylor, Chair of Council, Principal, Wayne Erickson and Niall Cairns, Chairman of the Foundation welcoming new Highlander Club Members, Glenn Kable and Hugh and Hilary Cairns 2 The gin and whisky tasting experience 3 Highlander Club Members; (L to R) Tony Sukkar, Debra Maher, Josephine Sukkar, Penny Hanan and Jordan Sukkar.


The College would like to congratulate the following alumni on their awards and achievements so far in 2021:
Australia Day Honours:
Reverend Dr John Alexander Pender OAM (Fr 1969)
For service to the Uniting Church in Australia, and to education.
Archie Rose wins at 2021 World Whiskies Awards
Will Edwards (Fr 2007), Founder of Archie Rose Distilling Co. has seen both his Single Malt Whisky and Rye Malt Whisky win big in round one of the 2021 World Whiskies Awards, taking out Australia's Best Rye Whisky and Australia's Best Single Malt Whisky (12 years & under).
2021 Australian National Piano Award finalists revealed Anthony Chen (Fr 2014) has been named as one of the finalists for this year's competition. Anthony is an award-winning pianist who completed his Bachelor of Music (Performance) with First Class Honours at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Prestigious University of Sydney Award
David Anstice AO (Fr 1966) has been awarded an honorary doctorate from The University of Sydney in recognition of his outstanding contribution to business, education and the wider community. David has over 45 years' experience and is one of the most influential figures in the pharmaceutical industry.
RG Menzies Scholarship Recipient
Paige Taylor (Fr 2013) has been awarded this prestigious post graduate scholarship by the Harvard Club of Australia. It is awarded to two recipients to pursue their dreams at the Harvard graduate school of their choice. Paige currently works as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and will be studying the Master in Public Administration in International Development at the Harvard Kennedy School.
The College has learned of the following deaths in our community. Our sympathies are extended to their families.
Mr Richard Copeland Roberts (Fr 1965)
Rev Dr Colin Ford (Fr 1947)
Dr Alan Theo Brissenden (Fr 1950)
Mr James Anthony Dunstan (Fr 1966)
Mr Graham Perrin Hurst (Fr 1958)

Dr Geoffrey King Bernays (Fr 1946)
Dr Walter Stewart Findlay (Fr 1956)
Mr Robert Geoffrey White (Fr 1971)
Dr Arthur Bennett (Fr 1965)
Mr Phillip Michael Lee (Fr 1965)
If
