Outstanding alumni recognised at inaugural USQ Alumnus of the Year Awards

Outstanding USQ graduates were recognised at the inaugural USQ Alumnus of the Year Awards presentation breakfast in Toowoomba in May.

Tristian Bruest, Kathryn Campbell and Nelle Lee were awarded with Alumnus of the Year Awards

USQ’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Bill Lovegrove and other senior staff were joined by Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor, Peter Taylor and Councillors Bill Cahill and Carol Taylor and over 60 invited guests to recognise the outstanding achievements of USQ’s alumni.

Awards were given for the overall Alumnus of the Year, International Alumnus of the Year, and Young Alumnus. Awards were also presented for outstanding alumni in the Faculties of Arts; Business and Law; Education; and Engineering and Surveying.

The USQ Alumnus of the Year was Ms Kathryn Campbell, a former student in both the Business and Sciences faculties. Ms Campbell also received the Faculty of Business and Law Alumnus of the Year award.

Ms Campbell was born in Toowoomba and attended Rockville State School and Toowoomba State High School. She graduated from the then Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education in 1988 with a Bachelor of Applied Science with Distinction and went onto complete her Master of Business Administration at USQ a decade later.

Ms Campbell has found success in the public sector working as the Deputy Secretary of the Budget and Financial Management Groups in the Department of Finance and Deregulation. More recently she was a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and currently holds the position of Secretary in the Department of Human Services.

'I felt very fortunate to study at the DDIAE and USQ – the lecturers challenged me and provided great advice,' Ms Campbell said.

'USQ has an important impact on the community by giving low socio-economic students an opportunity to study. USQ rewards excellence and gives students the drive to achieve.'

'USQ gave me a great background in the areas of social justice, which has allowed me to informed business decisions in the public sector.'

Professor Bill Lovegrove, USQ’s Vice-Chancellor and President said that USQ’s alumni continually produce great results across the world.

'Kathryn Campbell is a great example of a USQ graduate and it is wonderful to hear great success stories of our alumni,' Professor Lovegrove said.
'In a recent graduate survey, it was found that USQ graduates have great success in finding employment and earn more than graduates from other universities five years after graduating – and we do this with a high proportion of disadvantaged students.'

'Our alumni network is like one big family doing great work around the world.'

Ms Nelle Lee was awarded the USQ Young Alumnus of the Year, as well as the Faculty of Arts award.

Ms Lee graduated with a Bachelor of Theatre Arts and has since established the ‘Shake and Stir Theatre Company’. The Company has performed shows to over 200 000 school children across Queensland since it was established in 2006.

'I couldn’t have asked for a better university to attend.' Ms Lee said.

'The industry is very competitive – USQ does more than teach you, it allows us to make the most of the industry.'

The Faculty of Engineering and Surveying prize was awarded to Mr Tristan Bruest who completed a Bachelor of Engineering with First Class Honours.

Mr Bruest currently works for engineering firm, GHD and previously won the 2010 Engineer Australia’s Engineer of the Year award for the Darling Downs region.

'The Alumnus of the Year awards are a great initiative to promote successful careers and I have to thank USQ and GHD for the opportunities I have received.'

The two international winners were not able to attend the presentation breakfast but were acknowledged by the Vice-Chancellor.

The International Alumnus of the Year is Dr Lackana Leelayouthayotin, who has a Doctor of Buisness Administration from USQ.

Dr Leelayouthayotin is currently the CEO of Cerebos Pacific Food Limited Group in Thailand and has increased the sales for the organisation.

Importantly, Dr Leelayouthayotin has been a generous philanthropist being a committee member of the National Blood Donation Promotion of the Thai Red Cross Society, committee member for the Children Cancer Fund and led a drive at Cerebos to make and distribute 60 000 prosthetic limbs to disadvantaged people in south east Asia.

The Faculty of Education Alumnus of the Year is Ms Alison Hancox who graduated USQ with a Master of Education Technology with a Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence.

Ms Wilcox currently is an Assistant Principal at Edmonton Public Schools in Alberta Canada and has pioneered the innovate ‘Live Online’ program to help remote students with an online teaching environment.

'I’d like to thank USQ for their help through my studies and with establishing the Live Online program. I am very proud to accept this award,’ Ms Wilcox said.

The winners of the 2011 Alumnus of the Year awards were chosen by a panel from many high quality nominations.

Planning for the 2012 Alumnus of the Year awards will commence in September and additional information is available at www.usq.edu.au/alumni

Contact Details:
Sam Tickell, USQ Media , +61 7 4631 2559