Awarding student excellence in languages and cultures
In the presence of distinguished guests, valued donors, family and friends, the school presented a total of 56 scholarships and prizes to students from a range of subject areas at the University of Sydney’s Holme Building Refectory on Thursday 18 April.
The ceremony's guests included officials from the diplomatic corps and cultural institutions of various countries including Austria, France, Germany, Indonesia, and Italy, as well as leaders from the Buddhist, Greek, Italian, Japanese and Korean communities and foundations.
The event opened with a Welcome to Country by Savannah Flynn from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, and a speech from the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Professor Lisa Adkins. The Professor noted the contribution of the School of Languages and Cultures to the University’s success in the 2024 QS World University Rankings.
Along with the Dean, the Mistress of Ceremonies Associate Professor Avril Alba thanked the Head of School Professor Yixu Lu for her 10-year leadership at the School of Languages and Cultures. Professor Lu has led the University's language school since 2014 and continues the tradition of language teaching which began in the 1800s when French and German were among the institution's first subject offerings.
The University of Sydney is very proud of its long tradition of teaching languages, which dates over 160 years ago, as well as the wealth of languages and cultures that we teach.
In her Head of School address, Professor Lu congratulated award recipients on their excellent results. She noted the qualities of dedication, hard work and a genuinely open mind that are demonstrated through academic success in language learning and the study of diverse cultures. She also applauded students on their ability to understand different cultures, as this can help shape the future of the world.
“We must remember and emphasise the common values that we all share across cultures and belief systems, which is our humanity, our love and compassion for the vulnerable, and our desire for peace,” Professor Lu said. “We can only meet these great challenges collectively.”
Professor Lu also acknowledged the generosity of donors, consular and business partners, as well as students’ families, relatives and friends who played a key role in supporting students in their studies.
Multi-award recipient Leo Barry with Chair of Asian Studies Professor Adrian Vickers
For Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies student Leo Barry, scholarship support has opened the door to invaluable learning opportunities.
“I am very grateful to the University and the donors who gifted me these scholarships,” said Leo. “The financial assistance they provide me takes away a lot of stress and allows me to focus on my studies during this final year.”
Leo has received a total of six prizes and scholarships since commencing his studies. In 2022, Leo was a recipient of the Language Student Travel Scholarship which supported his exchange program to the National Taiwan University in the following year. He also embarked on an in-country study program in Indonesia in 2022.
Reflecting on the importance of multilingual and crosscultural skills, Leo noted the benefits they can bring to Australian society and beyond.
The need to learn languages and – through that – about cultures is self-evident. Language is key to begin understanding other ways of life and, ultimately, it is the ability to listen and learn which makes one able to navigate diverse societies.
"Authentic intercultural competence is primarily about being curious about the world around you," shared Leo.
The ceremony’s annual cultural item featured the Sydney-based Andalus Arabic Choir led by director Ms Ghada Daher-Elmowy. Drawing from an ancient musical and poetic form, the choir performed four songs in various languages including Arabic dialect and Greek.
Ranked 31st globally in Modern Languages*, the University of Sydney's School of Languages and Cultures offers a wide range of languages and studies of cultures that span multiple regions.
Warm congratulations to our scholarship recipients and prize winners for the 2023 academic year:
Arabic Language and Cultures |
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John Marcolongo |
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Asian Studies |
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Leo Barry |
Gabrielle Ewington Equity Scholarship in Southeast Asian Studies |
John Ryder |
Khyentse Foundation Award for Excellence in Buddhist Studies |
Dorjee Wangdi |
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Chinese Studies |
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Heidi Xing |
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Mark Joyce |
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Thi Pham |
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Cheng Ha Hong |
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European Studies |
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Jessica Hall |
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Ava Eder |
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French and Francophone Studies |
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Madeleine Fiene |
Anne Bates Memorial Scholarship for French |
Amanda Chan |
Banque Nationale de Paris Prize for French |
Frances Wu |
Emilie M Schweitzer Scholarship in French and Germanic Studies |
Christian Caporusso |
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Amanda Chan |
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Rohan Keshava |
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Madeleine Fiene |
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Ashley Cagauan |
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Amanda Chan |
Graham Jones Prize for French |
Rohan Keshava |
Ronald Horan Prize for French |
Christian Caporusso |
Sonia Marks Memorial Prize for French |
Germanic Studies |
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Seren Everingham |
Austrian Embassy Prize |
Lachlan Van der Heyde-Schreuder |
Emilie M Schweitzer Scholarship in French and Germanic Studies |
Seren Everingham |
Enid Watson Memorial Scholarship in Germanic Studies |
Olivia Kaye |
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Xavier Reichel |
Ian David Armfield Memorial Prize (German) |
Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies |
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David Godfrey |
Bernard and Lotka Ferster Scholarship for First Year Beginners’ Modern or Classical Hebrew |
Ethan Simpson |
Ivan and Ursula Cher Prize |
Gaby Gerson |
The Bernard and Rodia Ferster Prize |
Genevieve Ball |
The Percy Joseph Marks Prize for Advanced (3000 Level) Modern Hebrew |
Lexei Salpeter |
The Percy Joseph Marks Prize for First Year Beginner’s Classical or Modern Hebrew |
Olivia Herrman |
The Percy Joseph Marks Prize for Intermediate (2000 Level) Modern Hebrew |
Ajala Williams |
The Percy Joseph Marks Prize for Senior Classical Hebrew |
Indonesian Studies |
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Michelle Toisuta |
Asian Students’ Council’s 1963 Festival of Asia Prize for Proficiency in Indonesian Studies Second Level |
Xinhang Du |
Asian Students’ Council’s 1963 Festival of Asia Prize for Proficiency in Indonesian Studies Third Level |
Joanna Vogeley |
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Taryn Cameron |
FH van Naerssen Memorial Prize for Indonesian Studies |
Taryn Cameron |
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Brontë Powell |
Ronald J Worsley Memorial Prize for Indonesian Studies |
Italian Studies |
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Matthew Platakos |
Beatrice Moran Memorial Prize in Third Year Italian |
Cielo Ilano |
Countess EM Freehill Prize No I for First Year Italian |
Alessia Lo Presti |
Countess EM Freehill Prize No II for Second Year Italian |
Gemma Bolton |
Rosina Tedeschi Memorial Prize for Italian Conversation |
Marisa Frangelli |
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Lily Patchett |
The Maria Teresa Savio Hooke Fieldwork Scholarship in Italian Studies |
Japanese Studies |
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Cecilia Cheng |
AL Sadler Prize for Excellence in Japanese Studies |
Kimiyo Matsui |
The Sakuko Matsui Postgraduate Travel Scholarship in Japanese Studies |
Korean Studies |
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Cynthia Turangan |
Korean Education Centre Prize |
Ha Le |
Top Media Prize |
Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies |
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Olympia Nelson |
Modern Greek Studies Foundation Award |
Theodora Margaris |
Order of the Australian Hellenic Education Progressive Association (AHEPA) Scholarship in Modern Greek |
Anargyros Kallos |
Robert William Henderson Memorial Prize |
Savvina-Elisavet Turner |
The Modern Greek Studies Foundation Prize in Modern Greek Studies 1 |
Stavroula Nterzoti |
The Modern Greek Studies Foundation Prize in Modern Greek Studies 2 |
Michael How |
The Modern Greek Studies Foundation Prize in Modern Greek Studies 3 |
Pinelopi Sempsis |
The Politis Family Scholarship in Modern Greek and/or Byzantine Studies |
Dimitra Anthony |
The Sydney University Greek Society (SUGS) Prize for Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies |
Hero image: Recipients of scholarships and prizes with donors, VIP guests, Faculty Dean Professor Lisa Adkins, and staff of the School of Languages and Cultures. Photos by Bill Green.
Browse the 2024 School of Languages and Cultures Awards Ceremony photo album on Facebook.