Celebrating student success in art, communication and English

On 28 October, the School of Art, Communication and English (SACE) hosted its annual Prizes and Awards Ceremony to recognise the achievements of its students from Art History, English and Writing, and Media and Communications. About 120 guests including students, staff, and friends convened in the Holme Building's Refectory. The ceremony also served as an opportunity for the School to thank donors for their generous support over the years. 67 prizes were awarded to 56 individual winners for their achievements in the past academic year.

The proceedings commenced with an Acknowledgement of Country by the Head of School, Professor Alan McKee, who presided over the event. Professor McKee thanked the donors for their ongoing support and reflected on the accomplishments of the School’s disciplines and academic staff over the past twelve months.

Professor McKee reflected on the QS Subject Rankings success of Art History and English and Writing, both placed first in Australia. He also praised recent research achievements, including the Laureate Fellowship awarded to Professor Terry Flew. In addition English and Writing will host the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award Fellowship by Dr Dashiell Moore. At the same time, Dr Justine Humphry and Dr Mark Johnson, both from Digital Cultures, also succeeded in securing grants.

Professor Lisa Adkins, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, then took to the stage and commended the School for excelling in its outreach and engagement initiatives, naming the English and Writing partnership with Parklea Correctional Centre as an example. The project integrates arts education and creative writing in the prison system to reduce the rate of reoffending. For students, it offers a transformative learning experience. 

SACE has some of the oldest prizes at the University, such as the James Coutts Scholarship which has recognised the achievements of undergraduate students since 1905. Scholarships that were established more recently such as the Frank MacDonald Scholarship or the Martin Terry ‘Art and the City’ Travel Award allow our undergraduate Art History students to travel to Berlin or Paris to explore museums, galleries, exhibitions, and art districts.

Associate Professor Donna West Brett presented 28 prizes to the Art History cohort. Two awards were conferred that supported a group of students travelling to Berlin last year: the Martin Terry Art and the City Scholarship, the discipline's latest award, and the Frank McDonald Art History Travelling Scholarship. The latter was represented by Dr Jacqui Strecker and Jennifer Turpin.

Associate Professor Brett then introduced David Mackay, who presented the Mary Mackay Prize to two joint recipients. The Prize was established in honour of the late Dr Mary Mackay, an art historian and alumna of the Power Institute.

Professor John Carter presented the Kathryn Carter Prize in Art History and Theory to Bonnie Harrington and Myra Muncey. The prize is in memory of the late Kathryn Carter, who studied Art History at Sydney. Myra and Bonnie also received a copy of We Are Only Visiting, a compilation of poems, stories, monologues, plays and speeches written by Kathryn Carter.

Dr Bunty Avieson presided over the presentation of the Media and Communications (MECO) prizes. MECO's prizes are named after Anne Dunn and Catharine Lumby who were both instrumental in establishing the discipline at the University of Sydney in 2000. 

Anne Dunn was a foundational staff member of the discipline and widely beloved journalism educator. Her sister, Helen Fulton, presented the Anne Dunn Memorial Prize to 15 students who excelled in podcasting, news writing, and video journalism. 

How MECO evolved from a project to discipline has been chronicled in a new book, Inside Stories, edited by Dr Agata Mrva-Montoya, Dr Cheryl O'Byrne, and Pam Walker.

Associate Professor Rebecca Johinke conferred 23 prizes to undergraduate, postgraduate and research students in English and Writing. She was joined by ‘Tricia Blombery and Dr Jane Baker from Graduate Women NSW who presented the Graduate Women NSW Prize to Emily Rose Cook.  
 
Professor McKee concluded the official program with a surprise prize draw, making a lucky English and Writing student the owner of a brand new iPad. 

Following the awards presentation, staff, donors, students and their guests assembled in the Refectory's drawing room to network while enjoying drinks and a delightful selection of canapes.

We thank all donors and staff involved for making this celebration so enjoyable and successful. Congratulations to all winners! 

Photos by Bill Green.