Celebratory finale to O Week
A highlight of O Week every year is the annual Collegiate Dinner and Academic Awards evening. This year was no exception.
Although the number of VIP guests was restricted, due to COVID, to only the Archbishop of Adelaide and the Chair of Council, students still enjoyed what is always a gala occasion.
Held in the David Hogarth Dining Hall at the College, the Collegiate Dinner provided students and staff with a formal culmination to what had been a wonderful week.
One of the features of the evening is the honouring of student achievements for the previous semester.
In her address to the college, Academic Director Dr Sarah Moller commended students on another set of outstanding results.
“Worthy of particular highlight is the very high proportion of students who attained High Distinction and Distinction averages last year,” said Dr Moller. “It was wonderful to be able to acknowledge all of these students on the night.”
Dr Moller said that the extensive academic support program at the College continues to bear fruit, with Aquinas students continuing to achieve well above what might be expected.
“The number of Aquinians sitting on GPAs of 6 or higher is really quite extraordinary,” she said.
Some special prizes were also given out:
Faculty awards went to: Lucy O’Dea (Medicine), Amelia Smart (Arts), Eliza Staude (Business), Hayley Weatherald (Education), Michael Duffett (Engineering), Grace Bubner, Maeve Elshaug-Betson & Ruben van Eeden (Science) and Abbey Latta (Allied Science)
The Father C.P Finn Prize for exceptional results in first year: Abbey Latta & Grace Bubner.
The Kennedy Family Prize for the top senior student: Patrick Klingner
The Brother Austin Stephens Prize for the top junior student: Neve Robins
The Commendable Improvement Award: Alexandra Scott and Josh Carmichael
The final award of the night was the naming of the Dux of 2021, and recipient of the Aquinas Medal. The deserving recipient was Amelia Smart.
Commendable Improvement Award
Alexandra Scott
Joshua Carmichael