Stellar alumni on show this month
The achievements of UTS graduates including Hugh Jackman, NAIDOC Person of the Year Larissa Behrendt, businessman Greg Poche and JETS Swimwear owner and designer Jessika Allen were celebrated in October at the UTS: Alumni Awards and with the launch of the inaugural UTS graduate exhibition ASPIRE!
In a combined event, more than 100 alumni, staff and friends of the University gathered for the launch of the multimedia ASPIRE! exhibition in the UTS Tower building foyer, on show till Monday 16 November, followed by the Alumni Awards with guest speaker, 2009 Tropfest winner Genevieve Clay.
Greg Poche took out the top gong at the Alumni Awards Ceremony, the Chancellor's Award for Excellence, for his achievements and ethical approach to business and for his outstanding service to the community through philanthropy. Poche, who graduated from UTS with a B. Business in 1979, is credited with building one of Australia's most successful transport companies, Star Track Express, which he sold to Qantas and Australia Post for $750 million in 2003. He is renowned as a businessperson of integrity and remains one of the foremost leaders in Australian enterprise.
Up-and-coming graphic designer Yiying Lu, who shot to fame when her 'fail whale' illustration was purchased by Twitter, took out the Young Alumni Award. While three graduates secured the Alumni Award for Excellence: Michael Antrum, General Council for the New South Wales Police Force and an accredited specialist in children's law; Maria Atkinson, Global Head of Sustainability for Lend Lease and an international leader in sustainable building technologies; and Sophie Nixon, Senior Designer for Australian fashion house sass & bide.
Larissa Behrendt and Chancellor Prof. Vicki Sara
The Alumni Human Rights Award, which recognises an outstanding contribution to the advancement of social justice/human rights within local, Australian or international communities, was awarded to NAIDOC Person of the Year Larissa Behrendt. Behrendt is leading a new generation of Indigenous thinkers who are attempting to grapple with the many issues facing Indigenous people in Australia. She became a Professor of Law at the age of 35 and is now Director of Research at Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at UTS.
ASPIRE! - the multimedia alumni exhibition - incorporates live web feeds and rolling interviews with the subjects, highlighting the achievements of a selection of graduates from all seven UTS faculties. They include Hugh Jackman (B. Communication, 1991), who appears on screen in the exhibit and credits UTS for leading him into acting: "UTS opened my mind, it opened my heart and, most importantly, it lit my fire and passion for learning that has never gone out to this day."
New York-based architect Jeremy Edmiston is also featured in ASPIRE! The Architecture graduate has been awarded the Fulbright, Harkness and Byera Hadley scholarships and the Architectural League of New York's Young Architect Award and his work was recently exhibited at MoMA in New York. Also on show is Design graduate Jessika Allen who is behind the success of the JETS Swimwear label, now one of the leading international swimwear brands; Business graduate Troy Lum, the former head of Dendy who established Hopscotch Films; and Clary Castrission, the powerhouse behind the charity 40K Home which is completing construction of an eco-learning centre for underprivileged children in Bangalore, India.